Convenience Theory

All these theories and factors work together to help create students that may be motivated to cheat. Then, any time cheating becomes the most convenient path to good grades, these students may decide to cheat.

When a motivated student and a suitable professor come together in a social context that is conducive to cheating, the student then must evaluate the situation and determine if cheating is the most convenient path to good grades. If it is not, then the student is not likely to cheat. If cheating is the most convenient path, then the student must make a rational choice to cheat or not to cheat based upon the expected utility (rational choice theory, another individual theory). If the student expects that cheating will better his/her grade with a minimum chance of being detected, he/she may decide to cheat. If the student feels the better grade is not worth the risk of detection, he/she is more likely to decide not to cheat. The student's decision to cheat or not cheat may be episodic. Depending on the student's mental state at the time of the decision, his/her moral constraints may or may prevent him/her from cheating at that point in time (Matza's drift theory). Once a student either cheats or is accused of cheating (even if he/she did not actually cheat), he/she may be labeled as a cheater. The next time the student evaluates a situation as to whether it is a convenient time to cheat, the label of cheater may make him/her more likely to consider cheating as being the more convenient path to good grades (labeling theory).