Cheating and motivation: An examination of the relationships among cheating behaviors, motivational goals, cognitive engagement, and perceptions of classroom goal structures.

Abstract

Academic cheating was examined from a motivational perspective. Two constructs served as the basis for exploring relationships between cheating and intrinsic motivation: intrinsic motivation for cheating (the degree to which students experienced "flow" during acts of cheating) and optimal challenge (the match between student skill level and class challenge level). Relationships between cheating and achievement goals (learning goals, performance goals, and future consequences), perceptions of ability, cognitive engagement (effort, persistence, self-regulation, and deep cognitive processing strategies), and perceptions of classroom goal structures were examined by testing the efficacy of a motivational model for predicting engagement in cheating behaviors. Early in the semester education students from two universities completed instruments measuring achievement goals, perceived ability, cognitive engagement, and perceptions of classroom goal structures. An instrument measuring engagement in cheating behaviors, reasons for cheating, and intrinsic motivation for cheating was administered at the end of the semester.

Seventy percent of the students reported cheating in the first class they attended each week. Approximately 20% of the those who cheated indicated they were intrinsically motivated to do so. Regression analyses revealed curvilinear relationships between the match between students' skill levels and class challenge levels and cheating, effort, and learning goals. Students who perceived their skills for performing in a class to be well below or well above the challenge level of the class cheated more frequently, put forth less effort, and were less likely to adopt learning goals. Students' achievement goals (learning goals, performance goals, and future consequences), perceived ability, and interactions among goals and perceived ability were significant predictors of engagement in cheating behaviors. Deep processing strategies and perceptions of student autonomy accounted for additional variance in cheating beyond that accounted for by achievement goals and perceived ability. Results indicate the importance of considering cognitive and motivational factors within both the student and the classroom environment in order to gain a better understanding of academic cheating. The quality of instruction and the characteristics of those who deliver instruction are likely the keys to reducing the amount of cheating taking place in today's classrooms.