Blog #15- Abstract and Bibliography

Abstract

My final project brings to question the prevalence of academic dishonesty among collegiate athletes and how this academic dishonesty can be explained. The first reason I found to explaining the prevalence of academic dishonesty is the fact that many times the athletes do not consider themselves student athletes in any sense, but rather just athletes. However, it is not only the athletes who view themselves this way, but so does every person who becomes connected and intrigued by college sports. One of the major theories that is used to explain the prevalence of academic dishonesty is the Neutralization Theory which analyzes the tendencies of criminal to rationalize their criminal acts. I found through research that Neutralization Theory should not be used to generalize academic dishonesty among college athletes because there are too many complexities involved in why athletes are likely to cheat. One of the major complexities is the fact that many times the athletes are not aware that they are cheating because they have either been influenced, directly or indirectly, to be involved with certain acts. The students are influenced by the higher authorities of college athletics. In a sense there is no reason for the athletes in cases like these to neutralize their behavior because someone else has already taken that step. This falls in line with a study done by Michael Macy and Andreas Flache which focused on why certain organizations are more likely to be involved in corruption compared to others. The prevalence of academic dishonesty can without a doubt be considered one form of many forms of corruption that exist in collegiate athletics. Macy and Flache write that in order for certain organizations to accomplish their "missions", all the people involved must be devoted to that mission. They also explain that there is a hierarchical system in place for these organizations and collegiate athletics fits seamlessly in with this idea. The main mission of collegiate athletics is to make money and all people involved- athletes, coaches, presidents, professors, and spectators- conform to this mission. The "seamless cooperation" that is required in order to achieve the final goal- making money- many times leaves academics as an after product. Many times academics are viewed as the factor of college that holds athletes and athletic programs back from being as successful as they can be. This is a damaging mindset to have and it is crucial that American universities take some necessary steps to fix this.

Bibliography

Bouville, Mathieu. "Cheating and Neutralization." Diss. University of Cambridge, 2008.

Cheating and Neutralization. University of Cambridge. Web. 17 Feb. 2010.

neutralization.pdf>.

Dowling, W. C. Confessions of a Spoilsport: My life and Hard Times Fighting Sports Corruption

at an Old Eastern University. University Park: Pennsylvania State University Press, 2007.

Print.

Florida State University, Case No. M286. Division I Committee on Infractions of the National

Collegiate Athletic Association. 18 Oct. 2008. Print.

Hale, Robert. “Learning Theories of Crime” MegaLinks in Criminal Justice. 30 Nov.

2006.Web. 28 Feb. 2010. .

Hodge, Frank, and Lloyd Tanlu. "Finances and college athletics." New Directions for

Institutional Research 2009.144 (2009): 7-18. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 7

Apr. 2010.

Macy, Michael W., and Andreas Flache. "Learning dynamics in social dilemmas." Proceedings

of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 99.10 (2002): 7229.

Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 7 Apr. 2010.

Stearn, A. "The Structural Element of Neutralization Theory" Paper presented at the annual

meeting of the AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CRIMINOLOGY, Atlanta Marriott Marquis,

Atlanta, Georgia, 13 Nov. 2007. Web. 1 March 2010

/p201169_index.html> .

Storch, Jason B., Eric A. Storch, and Philip Clark. "Academic Dishonesty and

Neutralization Theory: A Comparison of Intercollegiate Athletes and Nonathletes."

Journal of College Student Development 43.6 (2002): 921-30. OmniFile Full Text

Mega. Web. 16 Feb. 2010.

Pytel, Barbara. "Cheating Is On The Rise." Educational Issues (2007). Classroom Issues. 16

Sept. 2007. Web. 24 Mar. 2010.

ting_is_on_the_rise>.

Wolverton, Brad. "As Graduation Rates Rise, So Do Fears of Academic Shortcuts." Chronicle of

Higher Education 53.7 (2006): A38. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 7 Apr.

2010.

Yaeger, Don, and Alexander Wolff. "Troubling questions." Sports Illustrated 87.1 (1997): 70.

Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 24 Mar. 2010.

Blog#14- Your Story

Over the semester, my paper has really evolved. I can't even really remember what my first topic idea was, but I remember that it had nothing to do with anything that I am writing about now! I really enjoyed reading all the available research and writings that were related to my topic. Athletics in college is very interesting to me because I have known many people who have been involved with intercollegiate athletics at varying levels. They have had varying experiences that were largely dependent on the dynamics of the teams they were on and role academics played. I would say that the book by William Dowling, Confessions of a Spoilsport had the biggest impact on my final paper topic. The stories I read in that book really got me interested in really reading into why athletes are more likely to cheat. It was interesting to investigate the various theories about social learning and the role of environment on an individuals actions. I am happy with the direction that my paper went in and I learned that when I am interested in something, I really don't mind reading and researching for hours at a time even if it does not yield any particularly helpful information. This is the first really intense research paper that I have done and I am happy about the way it has turned out so far!

Blog #13- Visual Aids

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY IN ATHLETES AND NON-ATHLETES, MALE AND FEMALE ANTHONY G. COPELAND DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY, MWSC

Sponsored by: BRIAN CRONK (cronk@missouriwestern.edu)

http://images.google.com/imgresimgurl=http://clearinghouse.missouriwestern.edu/manuscripts/upload/4410.gif&imgrefurl=http://clearinghouse.missouriwestern.edu/manuscripts/44.php&usg=__VLc9Rn-2wwFbraixZUcXQgOAwtg=&h=623&w=911&sz=10&hl=en&start=9&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=3ZJjcG0pP6ztZM:&tbnh=101&tbnw=147&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dathletic%2Bdishonesty%2Bamong%2Bathletes%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Den-us%26tbs%3Disch:1

This Visual Aid graphically presents that prevalence of academic dishonesty that occurs among athletes relative to non athletes in colleges.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXS3vDLt-8B6D9CMYyuveu6Tb2gbMG_9f_fZgB1Gf-eBKtPUxQTWHJQ2SdOyAyh8KBM9aIQzJ01H5vCEF8JCOp8ygcrKYUV8F6MBcy2isEtNWG_y-0H3lXzaF7UrK5YuYoFv8aqqhqGp4/s320/athletes+verse+non+athletes.png
http://www.offthemarkcartoons.com/cartoons/2003-08-02.gif

Both of these images visually represent the problem of corruption in college athletics. They both deal with the claim that too much money is being funneled into athletics rather than academics therefore underwriting the purpose of college which is education and academics.