ATTITUDES TOWARD CHEATING OF SELF AND OTHERS BY COLLEGE-STUDENTS AND PROFESSORS

Four hundred and four students from two major northeastern universities were given two copies of the Attitudes Toward Cheating Scale. Students completed one copy according to their own opinions, and another copy according to the opinions of ''a typical college professor.'' Likewise, 120 professors were asked about their own opinions and about the opinions of ''a typical college student.'' Students' perceptions of professors' attitudes were very similar to the actual attitudes held by professors. However, professors believed that students were more tolerant of cheating than students themselves report to be. Students who hold more tolerant attitudes toward cheating projected more tolerant attitudes to professors than students who hold more condemnatory attitudes. Students with majors in business (e.g., accounting and finance) areas held the most tolerant attitudes toward cheating.