The more people rationalize cheating, the more it becomes a culture of dishonesty. And that can become a vicious, downward cycle; because suddenly. if everyone else is cheating you feel a need to cheat too.
–Stephen Covey
Equating this quotation of Covey to the present situation in the Philippines and in other parts of the world we can say that it is a sad fact of life: Cheating happens the numbers are all over the place; but they indicate that somewhere between 10 and 70% individuals have cheated . Weiss (2016). But even though we all know cheating is wrong, some people still do it,
While there may not be a clinical definition of what constitutes a cheater; the fact is that the cheaters exist and they cause far more damage than it’s usually worth. Whether you consider cheating as sex or simply a kiss, no matter what the parameters of your relationship, a betrayal is a betrayal Amanda Castel (2016) one form of cheating is corruption. Corruption may be found everywhere (Smith, D. J. A Culture of Corruption.
Deception is another form of cheating. As Katalla (2016) puts it Prosperity is good if people use their wealth for good reasons and all deserving people are well off. We need to seek Gods will and a better system so that prosperity and blessings will come. We should not seek prosperity in a corrupt system because this approach is causing poverty and corruption. Many are deceived without being aware of it. Like pawns in the game, they are then manipulated to unintentionally deceive others. People who are not on their guard unintentionally deceive friends and family members, despite loving them.
Further said that a major deception is that almost all occupations are good to be part of and deserve credit. However there is evidence most occupations in the workforce are not good due to the system’s inefficiency, corruption and unnecessary work. People do not realize this. We need a better, fairer system and workplace. Stevenson (2015)
Most occupations involve not working for beneficial or Godly purposes. They promote unnecessary or evil products and services. They teach and encourage selfishness, pride and a lust for money and the world. They involve misleading and deceiving people into worldly things and away from god. Therefore many occupations are doing more harm than good.
Similarly, the corrupt or cheaters mainstream medical system forces and teaches people to take unnecessary and harmful drugs or therapy, to the benefit of the drug companies who have suppressed natural cures. that in most schools a teacher would have to teach what the system wants even if it is bad for them and their students,
The politicians who are corrupt and cheaters are embracing the worldly deception that everyone must try to make and keep more money than they need for the essential thing is dangerous for many reasons D.J Smith .,(2015)
On the other hand, cheating in schools and colleges is also rampant..
Thomas Erlich and Ernestine Fu claim that cheating in schools is an epidemic that infects schools and colleges across the country. Academic integrity is of course a core value in every educational institution without it learning cannot be assured.
A common view is that cheating is forbidden and cheaters break a rule. For instance, the focus of Burkill and Abbey (2004) on “regulations” and on “penalties” for “ignoring academic conventions “indicates that to them the main reasons for students to avoid cheating are obedience to rules and avoidance of penalties. However, Alfie Kohn (2007) draws attention to those “cases where what is regarded as cheating actually consists of a failure to abide by restrictions that may be arbitrary and difficult
to defend”. Breaking a rule is illegitimate only if the rule is legitimate. Either the rule has a rational justification and this rather than breaking a rule makes cheating wrong, or the rule is arbitrary and there is no reason to endorse it. In other words, cheating should be forbidden because it is wrong, not wrong because it is forbidden.
Jordan, A.E., (2001), in a psychology study found discussion specifically talked about “cheating”, but it can be agreed that “cheating ” is one form of behavior, even one form of expression of one’s personality. Burt suggests that there are three factors that affect human behavior , namely the factor G ( General ) , which is the basis of inborn , factor S (specific ) formed by education and factor C ( Common / group ) were obtained from the effect 19 of the group . If connected with deeds “cheat”, then the activity of “cheating “it is an effect of the factor C. Further said that Factor C larger or more powerful than a factor of S. Thus, the behavior of “cheat ” a lot due to the influence of groups where people tend to dare to do because seeing other people in the group also perform. If this trend takes place continuously , the ” cheating ” would be a custom one , which will be transferred not only to other school activities but to the community at large events based on the principle of the transfer of learning .
From the theories of motivation, note that the “cheating” can occur when a person is in a state of shock (under pressure), or if the impulse or hope of achieving much greater than its potential. The greater the higher the expectations or desired accomplishments and the smaller the potential of the greater desire and possibility to “cheat”. In that case then, the behavior of “cheating” just waiting for a chance or opportunity, because criminal theory says that crime will occur if the intent and opportunity meet.
Cheating has been an inevitable and a common undying impediment among schools and universities. McCabe (1992) surveyed a sample of 6,097 students and found out that 67 percent of the target sample admitted cheating. Cheating, as a form of academic dishonesty, had become a widespread culture among students in either private or public institutions. Among college students, percentage of cheating ranges from 9 percent (Davis et al., 2002) to 95 percent (McCabe & Trevino, 2002). Symaco and Marcelo (2003) pointed out that academic dishonesty is an unceasing problem despite of the efforts the institution put to get rid of it.
Burke (2009) said that cheating is “intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in any academic exercise”, and plagiarism is “intentionally or knowingly representing the word of another as one’s own in any academic exercise”. Earl Babbie noted that “presenting someone else’s words or ideas as your own – in any form – constitutes plagiarism”. Cizek (2003) states that cheating behavior falls under three categories: (1) “giving, taking or receiving information”, (2) using any prohibited materials” and, (3) “capitalizing on the weaknesses of persons, procedures or processes to gain an advantage”.
How can the DepEd help in totally erasing cheating among students? Is it through Values Education, Character Education and Right Conduct, Guidance and Counseling or any other way.? This is the time to voice out your opinions.
References:
Amanda Chatel, Glamour Magazine 8 things you should know about Cheaters (according
to Science
Anderman, E. M., Griesinger, T., & Westerfield, G. (1998). Motivation and cheating during
early adolescence. Journal of Educational Psychology, 90, 84–93.
D.J. Smith, A Culture of Corruption April 14,(2016.)
D. J.. Kathalla, Corruption and Deception 2014
D.J.,www. True conspiracies.com.workforce.www. vanguardngr.com 2015
F.StevensonAcademic Integrity and Cheating American journal p 35-45
Jordan, A.E., (2001). “College Student Cheating: The Role of Motivation, Perceived
Norms, Attitudes, and knowledge of Institutional Policy. Ethics and Behavior, 11(3), 233-247.
Thomas Erlich and Ernestine Fu 2914Truth about Deception tells about Why Spouses
Cheat
Kathryn Kattalia 2015Why Spouses Cheat
Scott Fitzgearald 2015 Moral Corruption and deceptionEnglish Lit Essay 2015
Suzanna Weiss, Why Do People Heat? (2016) Glamour Magazine Pp 31-35
Wrongness of cheating should be an ethical not a bureaucratic question.
By: Hilda D. Avila
