{"id":642720,"date":"2024-10-27T17:50:02","date_gmt":"2024-10-27T14:50:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/why-do-kids-cheat-is-it-normal-or-should-i-be-worried\/"},"modified":"2024-10-27T17:50:02","modified_gmt":"2024-10-27T14:50:02","slug":"why-do-kids-cheat-is-it-normal-or-should-i-be-worried","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/why-do-kids-cheat-is-it-normal-or-should-i-be-worried\/","title":{"rendered":"#Why do kids cheat? Is it normal, or should I be worried?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a27af0cb72e0\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a27af0cb72e0\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/why-do-kids-cheat-is-it-normal-or-should-i-be-worried\/#What_is_cheating\" >What is cheating?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/why-do-kids-cheat-is-it-normal-or-should-i-be-worried\/#A_sign_of_development\" >A sign of development<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/why-do-kids-cheat-is-it-normal-or-should-i-be-worried\/#Cheating_at_school\" >Cheating at school<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/why-do-kids-cheat-is-it-normal-or-should-i-be-worried\/#Temptation_matters\" >Temptation matters<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/why-do-kids-cheat-is-it-normal-or-should-i-be-worried\/#Do_boys_cheat_more_than_girls\" >Do boys cheat more than girls?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/why-do-kids-cheat-is-it-normal-or-should-i-be-worried\/#How_can_adults_discourage_cheating\" >How can adults discourage cheating?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"article-gallery lightGallery\">\n<div data-thumb=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2024\/cheating-exam.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/scx2.b-cdn.net\/gfx\/news\/hires\/2024\/cheating-exam.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Credit: Pixabay\/CC0 Public Domain\">\n<figure class=\"article-img\">\n            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/800a\/2024\/cheating-exam.jpg\" alt=\"cheating exam\" title=\"Credit: Pixabay\/CC0 Public Domain\" width=\"800\" height=\"530\"\/><figcaption class=\"text-darken text-low-up text-truncate-js text-truncate mt-3\">\n                Credit: Pixabay\/CC0 Public Domain<br \/>\n            <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Everyone knows a kid who cheats at Monopoly or backyard cricket. Perhaps they have even cheated on a test at school.<\/p>\n<p>                                                                                                                                    If you notice your own child is doing this, you may worry they are headed for a life of crime.<\/p>\n<p>But in developmental terms, cheating is not usually a cause for concern for kids.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_cheating\"><\/span>What is cheating?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Cheating occurs when a child behaves dishonestly to gain an unfair advantage. They might pretend to roll a six, peek at others&#8217; cards, score a sports <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/game\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"7\" title=\"Game\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">game<\/a> incorrectly, or use <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gamedeveloper.com\/business\/cheating-vs-exploiting-in-game-design\">video game modifications<\/a> to skip levels.<\/p>\n<p>Despite parents&#8217; and teachers&#8217; best efforts, cheating is remarkably common. In <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/record\/1999-10060-023\">one experiment<\/a>, five-year-olds were asked not to peek inside a box while the experimenter left the room. Almost all peeked and most then denied having done so.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_sign_of_development\"><\/span>A sign of development<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2352250X22000938\">capacity to deceive<\/a> can signal the emergence of new skills, including an understanding of other people&#8217;s minds.<\/p>\n<p>To cheat effectively, we have to think about what someone else is thinking. We then need to trick them into believing a different reality. These <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/espace.library.uq.edu.au\/data\/UQ_1910a73\/UQ1910a73_OA.pdf?Expires=1729810745&amp;Key-Pair-Id=APKAJKNBJ4MJBJNC6NLQ&amp;Signature=P5KGamUqLPeH2FNF0wm~j~TvIK5eq11VwrRcbp7wx2qxzsG0zL9AEYqFimQxM8Yk1RJSbVZF0Oi9pb91Uyg88NlpWpMFrLLUF3Jlp0j8oNtw4A3vChv2XHA2f8zVwOiWzNAhehGjOsRXE5ovidMd-B3nbEaIwcpcd2AcJs~xc-tQAhdU~36xQltbAItvv9oXirKOAcPup8jAnMCEY7W-wSg7mzDLEnkxoeGpadvW6z42rEqqq0g3aK-BErC5EPo8LPl8eUA7SPt4IbhrVekzREEzs-BP4LTRsDpBPdrXlK0fivuR~R7QwJyy8wCQfRNeQ0W5mPBCdJwSYw-3qWYLTA__\">cognitive skills<\/a> only emerge in preschool, and it is not until the primary years that children can successfully maintain a false story over time.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Cheating_at_school\"><\/span>Cheating at school<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>As children get older, they can get more cautious about cheating in <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/general\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"3\" title=\"General\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">general<\/a>, but also start cheating at school.<\/p>\n<p>In a US study, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/challengesuccess.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/ChallengeSuccess-AcademicIntegrity-WhitePaper.pdf\">more than three in four<\/a> high school students reported cheating at school at least once over the past year.<\/p>\n<p>Common techniques included sharing their work with others, getting test answers ahead of time, plagiarizing from the internet, and collaborating when they weren&#8217;t supposed to.<\/p>\n<p>Students were more likely to see cheating as acceptable when helping a peer, or when <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0361476X01910884\">they could rationalize<\/a> the behavior in a pro-<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">social<\/a> way (for example, they ran out of time and needed to cheat because they were caring for a family member).<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Temptation_matters\"><\/span>Temptation matters<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Like adults, children are more likely to cheat when the temptation is greater. In <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full\/10.1002\/bdm.2150?saml_referrer\">one study<\/a>, children aged seven to ten were more likely to cheat at a die-rolling game if they could win a bigger prize.<\/p>\n<p>Children and adolescents also report being more likely to cheat to avoid negative consequences. As far back as 1932, US school principal <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.journals.uchicago.edu\/doi\/abs\/10.1086\/439371?journalCode=schoolreview\">M.A. Steiner<\/a> wrote how too much work encourages students to cheat. In a 2008 study, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/record\/2008-15564-011\">students themselves<\/a> reported cheating at school because they were uninterested in the material or under pressure to perform.<\/p>\n<p>While temptation encourages cheating, the risk of being caught can encourage honesty. Children <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/abs\/10.1002\/bdm.2150\">must weigh<\/a> the benefits of cheating against the risks of being caught.<\/p>\n<p>As they get older, children may also consider how cheating impacts their <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/au\/blog\/the-second-noble-truth\/202001\/cheating-moral-development-and-self-actualization\">sense of self<\/a>. For example, &#8220;being a good person is important to me\u2014so I won&#8217;t cheat.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_boys_cheat_more_than_girls\"><\/span>Do boys cheat more than girls?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Some children are more likely to cheat than others. For example, in a 2019 study in which children&#8217;s rolls of <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full\/10.1002\/bdm.2150?casa_token=gRnvvnsto8sAAAAA%3AD6n9rsGI_ZbzVTX2_9H66p7e4yfvBHMxSppNtOcpgP5MpKfO-5VpqJS-3tcTzfsrBUSW2b-fMt2Tq7w\">six dice<\/a> could win them prizes, boys cheated more than girls. Boys and girls also <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>roached cheating differently: girls were more likely to cheat to avoid losses, while boys were equally motivated by losses and gains.<\/p>\n<p>Social skills also make a difference. A 2003 US study showed second grade children who have been rejected by their peers <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1023\/A:1021773316251\">are more likely<\/a> to cheat at board games\u2014even when playing with new children they have never met before. It is possible such children are not as good at regulating their emotions and behaviors.<\/p>\n<p>Adolescents with <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0361476X01910884\">lower self-restraint<\/a> and greater tolerance for breaking rules are more likely to accept academic cheating, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/ej\/article-abstract\/128\/615\/2743\/5212014?login=false\">as are<\/a> those who misbehave in class.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_can_adults_discourage_cheating\"><\/span>How can adults discourage cheating?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Although cheating is common, it can pose increasing problems for children and teens as the stakes become higher. Research with <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0022096522001953\">Chinese students in the eighth grade<\/a> showed those who cheated when scoring their own test were less likely to have learned the correct answer later on.<\/p>\n<p>Here are four things parents and teachers can do to help discourage cheating.<\/p>\n<p><b>1. Have open conversations:<\/b> Talk openly and compassionately about why cheating is not a good idea (for example, &#8220;it ruins the fun for your friends&#8221;). Research shows <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full\/10.1111\/sode.12248?casa_token=l0eE7MyjeyYAAAAA%3AAAE3zcGyrhZqc4ETUhXO_wZ8_hC3PkUzq6O7t9B7UIhczy8MZ4zzFvYCggMfziL5a8I4HjJj5qtaHos\">children<\/a> and <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full\/10.1002\/bdm.2203\">adolescents<\/a> who made a promise to experimenters not to cheat at a game were less likely to do so. But children <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/22023095\/\">who fear<\/a> getting in trouble are less likely to tell the truth.<\/p>\n<p><b>2. Don&#8217;t put too much pressure on results:<\/b> When talking about school, use language related to learning rather than performance (&#8220;just try your best, that&#8217;s all you can do&#8221;). Studies show highly <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full\/10.1002\/bdm.2150?casa_token=gRnvvnsto8sAAAAA%3AD6n9rsGI_ZbzVTX2_9H66p7e4yfvBHMxSppNtOcpgP5MpKfO-5VpqJS-3tcTzfsrBUSW2b-fMt2Tq7w\">competitive academic environments<\/a> make cheating more likely, because the benefits of success and risks of failure are heightened.<\/p>\n<p>                                                                                                                                            <b>3. Be positive about your child&#8217;s character:<\/b> <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full\/10.1111\/desc.12304?saml_referrer\">In one study<\/a>, preschoolers were allocated to one of two groups. In the &#8220;good reputation&#8221; group, children were told &#8220;I know kids in your class and they told me you were a good kid.&#8221; In another group, children were not told anything. All the children were then asked not to peek at a tempting toy while the experimenter left the room. Those in the good reputation group were less likely to cheat (60%) than those in the other group (90%).<\/p>\n<p><b>4. Show kids how it&#8217;s done:<\/b> If adults are being honest and open, children are more likely to do the same. In <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/dnlab.ucsd.edu\/files\/2015\/02\/Hays_et_al-2014-Developmental_Science.pdf\">one study<\/a>, children were told there was a big bowl of candy in the next room. When this turned out to be a lie, children themselves were more likely to cheat in a game and to lie about it.<\/p>\n<div class=\"d-inline-block text-medium mt-4\">\n<p>                                                    Provided by<br \/>\n                                                                                                            The Conversation<br \/>\n                                                                                                                <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"icon_open\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\"><br \/>\n                                                            <svg>\n                                                                <use href=\"https:\/\/phys.b-cdn.net\/tmpl\/v6\/img\/svg\/sprite.svg#icon_open\" x=\"0\" y=\"0\"\/>\n                                                            <\/svg><br \/>\n                                                        <\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"article-main__note mt-4\">\n                                                  This article is republished from <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\">The Conversation<\/a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/why-do-kids-cheat-is-it-normal-or-should-i-be-worried-242022\">original article<\/a>.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/counter.theconversation.com\/content\/242022\/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced\" alt=\"The Conversation\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\"\/>\n                                             <\/p>\n<p>                                        <!-- print only --><\/p>\n<div class=\"d-none d-print-block\">\n<p>                                                <strong>Citation<\/strong>:<br \/>\n                                                Why do kids cheat? Is it normal, or should I be worried? (2024, October 27)<br \/>\n                                                retrieved 27 October 2024<br \/>\n                                                from https:\/\/phys.org\/<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">news<\/a>\/2024-10-kids.html<\/p>\n<p>                                             This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no<br \/>\n                                             part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script id=\"facebook-jssdk\" async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/sdk.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMN63nwsw68G3Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more Like this articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/sciencee\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Science category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/phys.org\/news\/2024-10-kids.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Credit: Pixabay\/CC0 Public Domain Everyone knows a kid who cheats at Monopoly or backyard cricket. Perhaps they have even cheated on a test at school. If you notice your own child is doing this, you may worry they are headed for a life of crime. But in developmental terms, cheating is not usually a cause&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":642721,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/scx2.b-cdn.net\/gfx\/news\/hires\/2024\/cheating-exam.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-642720","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sciencee"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/642720","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=642720"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/642720\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/642721"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=642720"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=642720"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=642720"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}