The external attributions made by cheaters are accompanied by a new view of education and cheating. For many students, education is only a means to such ends such as getting into graduate school or getting a good job. This view was reflected by an anonymous student who said, "Cheating in high school is for grades, cheating in college is for a career." Likewise, Prime Time Live interviewer Chris Wallis indicated in a television special on cheating, "This is a different generation. There is an acceptance of cheating as a way of getting through school. College is a series of obstacles on the way to a good job and any way you can get by those obstacles is alright." Hence, for many students cheating has become an accepted, non-guilt-producing, coping strategy. In fact, the quote that forms part of the title to this Psychology in Your Life project came from a student respondent who participated in one of our research projects. If cheating will enhance examination scores (many students hold this view), then it is alright to cheat.
Additionally, some students have adopted a new view of ownership. For example, some students purchase term papers and then turn in these papers as their work. They feel because they purchased the paper it is their property and they are presenting something they own to the professor. Certainly, they argue, turning in one's own property is not cheating. This same logic can be extended to certain sites on the World Wide Web. Some sites offer visitors (sometimes for a fee) the opportunity to download term papers and even copies of tests. Even though such sites proclaim they are providing this service solely for the generation of ideas and not academic dishonesty, it is likely that many papers acquired in this manner are not modified substantially.
