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Socially Learned Cheating Behavior Through Faculty Deterrence: A CrossCultural Study of Students in the
Bahamas and the U.S.
Kelley M. Duncanson
Division of Business and Economics, Morehouse College, USA
Volume 21: 2024 pp. 00-00: ABSTRACT
This study investigates the influence of faculty deterrence and social acceptance on
cheating behavior, addressing the central research question: Does high faculty deterrence reduce
students' perceptions of cheating as socially acceptable compared to low faculty deterrence? A
sample of 190 Bahamian undergraduate students representing various academic majors were
randomly assigned to two vignettes depicting testing environments with either high or low faculty
deterrence. Participants were asked to estimate the percentage of students who would consider
cheating socially acceptable under each scenario. The key findings indicate that high faculty
deterrence significantly discourages perceptions of cheating, while low deterrence fosters a
justification for unethical behavior. Notably, criminal justice majors from the School of Social
Sciences were the only group to exhibit significantly different views between high and low
deterrence conditions, while other academic majors, including business students, showed no
significant differences. These findings align with Liebler’s research on U.S. undergraduate business
students, suggesting that faculty oversight plays a crucial role in shaping ethical perceptions. The
results have important implications for business ethics education, emphasizing the need for solid
faculty engagement to promote academic integrity. Additionally, the discipline-specific differences
highlight the importance of incorporating tailored ethical training across various fields of study.
Keywords: academic dishonesty, cheating, cheating deterrence, social learning theory
