For some individuals, buying a fake diploma can be a form of psychic satisfaction. The degree symbolizes all the hard work they put in to set themselves up for a better future.
But why do people choose to cheat in this way? What drives them to use a fraudulent degree?
Scams
Fake degrees are not only illegal but can have serious consequences for people who present them to employers. They can damage a person’s reputation and result in a waste of hard-earned money. Additionally, they may put people’s lives at risk if they are working in high-risk areas such as engineering or https://lambangnhanh.com/ healthcare without the proper credentials.
Fake diploma mills often use pushy advertising tactics and slick websites to lure in unsuspecting customers. They typically include elements that make the fake document look as authentic as possible, including a university name and logo, signatures of official staff, and a certificate number. The fake degrees also feature aesthetically pleasing fonts and print formats to make them look real.
People who purchase fake degrees often do so for various reasons, including wanting to boost their career prospects, avoiding expensive university fees, or because they didn’t achieve the grades required to graduate. They can also be used to gain social status and impress friends and family. Many companies don’t check employees’ degrees during background checks, making it easy to pass a fake one. Moreover, the cost of fake qualifications is significantly less than the cost of genuine ones. This makes the industry a multi-billion pound market. The rise of fake degrees has also damaged the credibility of genuine academic credentials and undermines the hard work of people who earn their credentials legitimately.
Academic Fraud Psychology
In a study, the researchers found that psychopathy predicts academic dishonesty in several ways. They built two structural equation models (test and replication) to understand the relationship between the psychopathic traits disinhibition, meanness, and boldness and academic fraud (prevalence and severity), considering important mediators such as perceived capability, opportunity, motivation, and rationalization.
In the test model, a direct path from disinhibition to prevalence was found, suggesting that individuals high in this trait have more confidence to engage in academic fraud. The indirect pathway from boldness to prevalence via perceived capability was also significant, and was mediated by motivation. Moreover, the meanness trait indirectly predicted the prevalence of academic fraud via rationalization, and accounted uniquely for the lower rates of perceived severity of fraud in this population.
This work builds on previous studies that have linked psychological trait psychopathy to a variety of deviant behaviors. In fact, it is one of the strongest predictors of deviant behavior and can even help identify potential fraudsters. As such, it is important for academic institutions to understand the psychology behind academic fraud and develop more effective prevention strategies. This is especially critical during times of crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic when there was a sudden spike in the number of articles retracted due to scientific misconduct in PsycINFO. This increase in retraction may have been partly explained by the heightened pressure and fear of being exposed as a fraudster.
Societal Pressure and Fake Degrees
As a result, there are numerous fake degrees and credentials floating around the world. They may seem harmless enough to pass the background check process and get a job, but recognizing the signs of fraud can help higher education leaders keep this issue at bay.
According to experts, the business of selling fake certificates and diplomas has grown into a multibillion dollar industry. This is partly due to the fact that the economic value of a degree is based on its signaling function. People who possess a degree are perceived to have certain social status and to be better qualified than those without one.
This is why a fake degree may appeal to some individuals, who are willing to pay for it in order to increase their earnings. Some individuals also purchase a fake degree in the hope of receiving recognition and prestige by obtaining a position at a prestigious university or company.
However, a person’s ability to acquire a legitimate degree is limited by financial or time constraints. As a result, the demand for fake diplomas is on the rise. In an attempt to satisfy this need, some companies are offering forgeries where the user selects a university and degree that they want to receive from the company. The company will then create this degree for the individual.
Cognitive Dissonance in Academic Fraud
In the context of academic fraud, cognitive dissonance plays a significant role. This internal conflict occurs when an individual knows that a certain action is wrong but still engages in it. This type of behavior can have serious consequences for those who participate in academic fraud and may even result in criminal charges.
For example, students who purchase fake psychology degrees from diploma mills may be unable to use their degree to get a job or advance in their career. In addition, these individuals may be subject to wage garnishment and loss of federal grants and loans. This can affect their financial security, and it can also damage their reputation.
This is a major problem because many people believe that the education they receive at legitimate universities is essential for their career success. This means that many individuals are willing to take shortcuts in order to gain a competitive edge over their peers. Unfortunately, this can have dangerous consequences for their mental health and their future.
The goal of this paper is to investigate the burgeoning phenomenon of fake degrees. In the first section, we define the terms “fake degrees,” “diploma mills” and “accreditation mills.” In the second section, we analyze the reasons behind the emergence of this phenomena. Finally, we develop an analytical framework to analyze how fake degrees allow their holders to free ride on the rights tied to authentic degrees.
