Moreover, the secularization of American society made it so that students were not inundated with the fear of spiritual retribution for cheating. It is highly likely that in a secular society cheating becomes easier, and more acceptable. However, religion may have nothing to do with the prevalence of morality in a society. Instead, social cohesion might be the key to creating and maintaining morality. Social pressures dictate social norms. If cheating is socially sanctioned then students are more likely to cheat. If peers pressure their friends to refrain from cheating such as by ostracizing cheaters, then cheating would be less prevalent. Regardless, cheating remains salient in American culture. Shulman also points out that one of the reasons cheating persists on college campuses is the lack of universal definitions for plagiarism. Not knowing that a behavior is ethically or legally wrong may cause some students to cheat when they normally might not. In some instances, cheating might not reflect a decline in moral values within that student but instead, a decline in strong social sanctions. What some students consider cheating, others might not. Discrepancies between what is acceptable and what is not prove that moral relativism is part of the problem. Cheating is wrong no matter what form that cheating takes. Stealing answers on an exam and borrowing ideas from an article are both forms of cheating, but some students might not feel the latter is a type of plagiarism. To reduce instances of cheating in school, educators need to address the definition of plagiarism and the penalties...

More importantly, the culture needs to eschew all forms of cheating as being unacceptable. The goal of material success is not as important as the goal for a more ethical society.
The breakdown of morality that American society is known for emerges in the way we do business and conduct our political affairs. Social institutions like schools reflect the values endemic in our society. Cheating is common among college students. Some writers like Wenke and Robinson suggest that pressure fuels cheating. Students are under too much pressure because the society is too materialistic. Quality of life is lowered when materialistic values trump ethical ones. Cheating is simply a reflection of how our society has shifted from one rooted in ethics and morality to one that stresses money over morals.

References

Fine, Ben. The World of Consumption. Routledge, 2002.

Robinson, Dadrian. Values, fear, morals prevent some students from cheating. The Fauman. Jan 25, 2008. Retrieved Oct 17, 2008 at http://media.www.thefamuanonline.com/media/storage/paper319/news/2008/01/25/Lifestyles/Values.Fear.Morals.Prevent.Some.Students.From.Cheating-3168598.shtml

Schulman, Miriam. "Cheating Themselves." Santa Clara University. Retrieved Oct 17, 2008 at http://www.scu.edu/ethics/publications/iie/v9n1/cheating.html

Winnail, D.S."Moral Decline Ahead." Tomorrow's World. Volume 4, Issue 4. 2002. Retrieved Oct 17, 2008 at http://www.tomorrowsworld.org/cgi-bin/tw/tw-mag.cgi?category=Magazine19&item=1104106519