پژوهشهای راهبردی مسائل اجتماعی ایران (Jun 2023)
Sociological Investigation of Academic Cheating among Students
Abstract
Introduction One of the pressing issues faced by universities today is "academic cheating," which has been causing significant and irreparable harm to the academic community due to its pervasive nature. Studies indicate that cheating shares similarities with other forms of deviant behavior and individuals, who engage in cheating, are more likely to repeat such an action and do it so more frequently. The rational choice theory of criminology provides insight into deviant behavior, suggesting that individuals act based on their personal assessments of the expected benefits, which are influenced by the anticipated costs and motivations associated with the behavior in question. This theory underscores the significance of the perceived benefits of academic cheating, such as avoiding exertion, attaining higher grades, experiencing reduced stress, and saving time, while weighing them against potential costs, such as the risk of being deprived of the necessary education for future success. Furthermore, the deterrence theory offers valuable insights, positing that individuals' awareness of the certainty, severity, and swiftness of punishment diminishes the likelihood of engaging in deviant behavior. Therefore, if students do not perceive the clear and consistent enforcement of penalties for cheating as outlined in university regulations, the likelihood of cheating will increase. This research aimed to sociologically investigate and elucidate the phenomenon of academic cheating among Mazandaran University students through the lenses of rational choice and deterrence theories. Materials & Methods The present study employed a survey-based, cross-sectional research method, utilizing a questionnaire as the primary data collection tool. The research targeted the entire student body of Mazandaran University enrolled in the year of 1401. The statistical sample consisted of 400 individuals, comprising both male and female students selected through random sampling with a 5% margin of error. A total of 435 questionnaires were distributed and after excluding any incomplete or distorted responses, 400 questionnaires were deemed suitable for evaluation and analysis. The sampling technique employed in this research was proportional stratified random sampling, wherein the students' gender was treated as a stratum and the sample size was allocated to each stratum in proportion to its size. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS software, employing mean comparison and multiple regression tests. Discussion of Results & Conclusion The prevalence of academic cheating poses a significant challenge to the primary mission of the educational institution. Therefore, this research aimed to investigate this deviant behavior. The theoretical contribution of this study lay in the application of rational choice theory and deterrence theory to elucidate academic cheating. The findings of this research revealed that informal punishment, moral beliefs, self-control, and utilitarian needs are influential factors in explaining academic cheating. In essence, rational choice theory posits that, notwithstanding various constraints, individuals are rational, proactive, and capable of assessing the costs and rewards of their actions based on the prevailing circumstances. Consequently, academic cheating is a product of individuals' cognitive evaluations of the costs and benefits associated with the perceived outcomes of such behavior within the contextual conditions of the situation. Furthermore, deterrence theory asserts that if the punishment for academic cheating is severe, certain, and immediate, a rational individual will weigh the potential gains and losses before engaging in cheating and if the losses outweigh the gains, they will refrain from cheating. Consequently, students, as rational actors, meticulously assess all circumstances and situations before engaging in academic cheating and if the perceived benefits outweigh the costs, they may choose to engage in this behavior, thus expressing their agency.
Keywords
