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Why do major players cheat?
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I don't know the answer, but I have spent most of the last fifty years working on the psychology of human motivation. So I really would like to know what you think. Be warned: This conversation may find its way into the Psychological literature.


Also some of you know the culprits well and can give more accurate and personal assessments.

Here are the usual possibilities:


1) They are psychopaths or sociopaths.

          Among the characteristics of this group are that

          a) they are without conscience or

          b) they don't feel or care about the pain they inflict on others, or

          c) they do not get anxious and upset as we would, and so they can cheat without deterring emotion or guilt or shame.


2) Money

    Plain old bank-robbing. Their cost/benefit analysis says that it is worth it, because the odds and consequences of getting caught are outweighed by the       monetary gain. They think they can get away with it.


3) Glory and fame.

      Similar to money (#2), but the gain is not monetary, but fame, glory, self-esteem, and prestige. Again their cost/benefit analysis says that it is worth trying it.


4) Present-mindedness.

    The short term gain in money, or prestige, glory, self-esteem, and fame outweigh the possible longer-term consequences (in jargon this is short-sighted "temporal discounting").


5) Others?





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