Study Set-Up

Study Set-Up

Main Theme and Three Level Independent Variable: Morally ambiguous situation presented via a Facebook post with the female user asking for her friends’ opinions regarding her actions. In some, there is 100% consensus favorable to what she did; in another there is 100% consensus unfavorable to what she did; in the last there is a mixture of positive and negative feedback.

Moral Dilemma: The user relates a story that the instructor handed out exams in class in a class where she was really struggling with the content, but must have included the answer key in the version she got. She didn’t say anything, and simply copied down the correct answers (though she missed a few so it wasn’t so obvious she was cheating). She still got the highest grade by far in the class. The instructor curves the scores, so she knows that her benefit hurt other students. She feels bad about it, and wants to know if students think she is a terrible person and whether she should tell the instructor what happened.

Dependent variables:

Warm-Cold Scale

Accepting / Rejecting what she did

Self-Ratings

Abigail’s Post

So, I did something … well, something I’m kind of embarrassed about. I’ve been having a hard time in my statistics class, and I knew I was going to fail the exam. I studied for it so hard, too! Well, the prof handed out the exam, and he must have made a mistake, because when I got my test, it turned out it was (wait for it!) … the answer key. I know, I know. I should have turned it in, but I REALLY needed to pass the exam. I used the answer key, and got the best score on the exam. Turns out the rest of the class did really bad, and the prof said he had planned to curve the grade. However, since someone got a perfect score, there was no curve needed. I’m sure if I’d done worse, the curve would have brought some other student scores up. So am I a bad person? Should I tell the prof what happened. I don’t know. Help!

Positive Feedback (Consensus)

Wow, Abigail, sounds like you really lucked out there. Take the grade. You “earned” it!

I agree. You got lucky! Incredibly lucky! I’d probably take the grade, too. I’ve taken that class, and it is impossibly hard. Anything you can do to make it a bit easier on yourself is worth it.

Listen, it’s not like you intended to cheat going into the exam. The prof should have checked to make sure he was only handing out blank exams. His mistake – your big break! Take the grade

Yeah, I’m of the same opinion. Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth! Take the win

You know that if you didn’t get the answer key, another student would have and then THEY would have the highest grade and you’d lose out in the curve. Don’t feel too bad

I’ve read the other comments on your wall, Abigail, and I think they gave you some good advice. If you go to the prof now, you might get in real trouble, and it’s not like you went in planning to use the answer key.

What can I say that hasn’t already been said? Their loss – your gain!

If it were me, I’d tell the prof … NOT! Don’t be crazy, Abby. You might blow the next exam, so it will all even out in the end

Negative Feedback (Consensus)

Wow, Abigail, though it sounds like you really lucked out there, you can’t take the grade. You didn’t really “earn” it!

I agree. You got lucky! Dishonorably lucky. I’d never take the grade. I’ve taken that class, and it is impossibly hard, but taking the easy way out isn’t worth it.

Listen, it’s not like you intended to cheat going into the exam. The prof should have checked to make sure he was only handing out blank exams. His mistake – but your integrity. Don’t take the grade

Yeah, I’m of the same opinion. Look this gift horse in the mouth! It’s a loser

You know that if you didn’t get the answer key, another student would have and then THEY would have the highest grade and you’d lose out in the curve. How would you feel then?

I’ve read the other comments on your wall, Abigail, and I think they gave you some good advice. If you don’t go to the prof now, you might get in real trouble later. Just tell him it’s not like you went in planning to use the answer key.

What can I say that hasn’t already been said? The whole class lost – only you gained.

If it were me, I’d tell the prof … DEFINITELY! Don’t be crazy, Abby. You might ace the next exam, so it will all even out in the end if you tell

Middling Feedback (No Consensus)

Wow, Abigail, though it sounds like you really lucked out there, you can’t take the grade. You didn’t really “earn” it!

I disagree. You got lucky! Incredibly lucky! I’d probably take the grade, too. I’ve taken that class, and it is impossibly hard. Anything you can do to make it a bit easier on yourself is worth it.

Listen, it’s not like you intended to cheat going into the exam. The prof should have checked to make sure he was only handing out blank exams. His mistake – but your integrity. Don’t take the grade

Yeah, I’m of the same opinion. Look this gift horse in the mouth! It’s a loser

You know that if you didn’t get the answer key, another student would have and then THEY would have the highest grade and you’d lose out in the curve. Don’t feel too bad

I’ve read the other comments on your wall, Abigail, and I think they gave you some good advice. If you go to the prof now, you might get in real trouble, and it’s not like you went in planning to use the answer key.

What can I say that hasn’t already been said? The whole class lost – only you gained.

If it were me, I’d tell the prof … NOT! Don’t be crazy, Abby. You might blow the next exam, so it will all even out in the end

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