Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2008 Sep 27.
Rules of social exchange: Game theory, individual differences and psychopathology.
Wischniewski J, Windmann S, Juckel G, Brüne M.
Department of Psychiatry, University of Bochum, LWL University-Hospital, Alexandrinenstr. 1, D-44791 Bochum, Germany.
Human social interaction is rarely guided by pure reason. Instead, in situation in which humans have the option to cooperate, to defect, or to punish non-cooperative behavior of another person, they quite uniformly tend to reciprocate "good" deeds, reject unfair proposals, and try to enforce obedience to social rules and norms in non-cooperative individuals ("free-riders"), even if the punishment incurs costs to the punisher. Abundant research using various game theoretical approaches has examined these apparently irrational human behaviors. This article reviews the evolutionary rationale of how such behavior could have been favored by selection. It explores the cognitive mechanisms required to compute possible scenarios of cooperation, defection, and the detection of cheating. Moreover, the article summarizes recent research developments into individual differences in behavior, which suggest that temperament and character as well as between- and within-sex differences in hormonal status influence behavior in social exchange. Finally, we present an overview over studies that have addressed the question of how neuropsychiatric disorders may alter performance in game theoretical paradigms, and propose how empirical approaches into this fascinating field can advance our understanding of human nature.
Dev Sci. 2008 Jul;11(4):495-503.
Lying in the name of the collective good: a developmental study.
Fu G, Evans AD, Wang L, Lee K.
School of Education, Zhejiang Normal University, P.R. China.
The present study examined the developmental origin of 'blue lies', a pervasive form of lying in the adult world that is told purportedly to benefit a collective. Seven, 9-, and 11-year-old Chinese children were surreptitiously placed in a real-life situation where they decided whether to lie to conceal their group's cheating behavior. Children were also assessed in terms of their willingness in hypothetical situations to endorse lying or truth-telling that benefits a collective but at the same time harms an individual. Results showed that as age increased, children became more inclined to endorse lying in the name of the collective good, and to tell lies for their group themselves. Furthermore, children's endorsement about blue lies in hypothetical situations predicted their actual lying behavior.
J Dent Educ. 2007 Aug;71(8):1027-39.
Faculty and student perceptions of academic integrity at U.S. and Canadian dental schools.
Andrews KG, Smith LA, Henzi D, Demps E.
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78299-3900, USA.
[email protected]
The issues of cheating and plagiarism in educational settings have received a large amount of attention in recent years. The purpose of this study was to assess the degree to which academic integrity issues currently exist in the dental schools throughout the United States and Canada. An online survey was developed to gather data pertaining to this topic from two key groups in dental education: faculty and students. Responses were obtained from 1,153 students and 423 faculty members. The results of the survey clearly reveal that cheating is a significant problem in dental schools and that significant differences exist between students' and faculty members' perceptions of academic integrity. The challenge for dental schools is to identify effective strategies to prevent cheating opportunities and to implement and enforce effective means of dealing with specific examples of cheating.
Direct link -
http://www.jdentaled.org/cgi/reprint/71/8/1027
Am J Pharm Educ. 2006 Aug 15;70(4):73.
Characteristics, prevalence, attitudes, and perceptions of academic dishonesty among pharmacy students.
Rabi SM, Patton LR, Fjortoft N, Zgarrick DP.
Midwestern University Chicago College of Pharmacy, USA.
[email protected]
OBJECTIVES: To ascertain background factors that influence pharmacy students' willingness to cheat, describe attitudes regarding methods of cheating, assess prevalence of cheating and determine atmospheres that may aid in preventing academic dishonesty. METHODS: Third-professional year PharmD students at 4 institutions participated in a survey administered by a class representative. RESULTS: Of the 296 students who completed survey instruments, 16.3% admitted to cheating during pharmacy school. Approximately 74% admitted that either they or their classmates had worked on an individual assignment with a friend. Students who cheated during high school or in a prepharmacy program were more likely to cheat during pharmacy school (p < 0.0001). Those who possessed a bachelor of science (BS) degree prior to pharmacy school were less likely to cheat (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Academic dishonesty is prevalent among pharmacy students. While few respondents directly admitted to cheating, many admitted to activities traditionally defined as dishonest.
J Dent Educ. 2008 Nov;72(11):1247-60.
The prevalence of academic dishonesty in Texas dental hygiene programs.
Muhney KA, Gutmann ME, Schneiderman E, Dewald JP, McCann A, Campbell PR.
Caruth School of Dental Hygiene, Baylor College of Dentistry, Texas A&M Health Science Center, 3302 Gaston Ave., Dallas, TX 75246;.
[email protected].
The media has given much attention to the academic cheating crisis in America. A majority of college students believe that, in today's global environment, it is necessary to cheat in order to get ahead and to compete with their peers. The prevalence and attitudes concerning academic dishonesty of health professions students, including those in medical, dental, and nursing schools, have been extensively researched. No such studies exist in the discipline of dental hygiene. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of cheating in Texas dental hygiene programs. Four hundred surveys were mailed to twenty Texas dental hygiene schools for graduating students to complete. A total of 289 usable surveys was returned for a response rate of 72.25 percent. Data were analyzed using SPSS with frequencies and chi-square tests. Findings from this study reveal that 86.5 percent of graduating Texas dental hygiene students have cheated a minimum of one time during matriculation. Students identified the demands of what they considered academic overload as the primary justification for cheating behavior.
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