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08/18/2008: "People less likely to cheat are more likely to see others as being psychologically like them"

Moreover, those students who reported less cheating were also less likely to believe that their fellow students regularly committed academic dishonesty.

People who don't cheat "have a more positive view of others," said Sara Staats, co-author of the research and professor of psychology at Ohio State University's Newark campus.

"They don't see as much difference between themselves and others."

In contrast, those who scored lower on courage, empathy and honesty - and who are more likely to report that they have cheated -- see other students as cheating much more often than they do, rationalizing their own behavior, Staats said.

[ This ties in with Prof. Putnam's findings on how genetic diversity makes people less trusting and less trustworthy. Even perceptions of how similar people are to yourself impact on likeliness to cheat. Homogenous societies have the highest levels of trust. ]

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080817223646.htm