Building Integrity in the Age of Normalized Cheating
What happens to integrity when cheating becomes easier and the world seems to reward people for cutting corners? In this episode of The Curiosity Shop, Adam shares what happened when he discovered that students were planning to use AI to cheat on an exam. Brené and Adam move into a much larger conversation about honesty, character, and moral identity. Together, they explore when using AI is inherently cheating, why monitoring people isn’t enough to make them trustworthy, the difference between shame and adaptive guilt, and what research reveals about building a stronger moral compass. They also unpack why honor codes can sometimes backfire, how inconsistent accountability undermines trust, and what dimension of character we often overlook. Ultimately, Brené and Adam explore the difference between wanting to be seen as a good person and choosing to become the kind of person who does the right thing even when no one else is watching.
Cheating: Why Students Do It and How We Can Help Them Stop – Donald McCabe, 2001, American Educator
Brené Brown: The Rage Bucket Theory – Trevor Noah, June 4, 2026, What Now? with Trevor Noah
Pickleball Line Rules: Calling the Ball “In” or “Out” – PlayPickleball.com, July 31, 2024, YouTube
How Handwriting Trains the Brain – Gwendolyn Bounds, October 5, 2010, The Wall Street Journal
Moral Emotions and Moral Behavior – Tangney et al., 2007, Annual Review of Psychology
Shame and Guilt – Tangney & Dearing, 2002, Guilford Press
Shame v. Guilt – Brené Brown, January 14, 2013, brenebrown.com
The Honor Committee – University of Virginia, honor.virginia.edu
Bicentennial Analysis – UVA Honor Committee, 2019, University of Virginia
Trump Reports Over $1 Billion in Income From Crypto Ventures – TIME, June 30, 2026, TIME
Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act of 2012 – U.S. Congress, 2012, Pub. L. No. 112-105
This Is Your Brain on Drugs – Partnership for a Drug-Free America, 1987, YouTube
Beyond Pleasure and Pain – Higgins, 1997, American Psychologist
Self-Discrepancy: A Theory Relating Self and Affect – Higgins, 1987, Psychological Review
Possible Selves – Markus & Nurius, 1986, American Psychologist
The BRAVING Inventory – Brené Brown, brenebrown.com
An Integrative Model of Organizational Trust – Mayer et al., 1995, Academy of Management Review
Integrity Is Choosing Courage Over Comfort – Brené Brown, brenebrown.com
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones – James Clear, 2018, Avery
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More description
What happens to integrity when cheating becomes easier and the world seems to reward people for cutting corners? In this episode of The Curiosity Shop, Adam shares what happened when he discovered that students were planning to use AI to cheat on an exam. Brené and Adam move into a much larger conversation about honesty, character, and moral identity. Together, they explore when using AI is inherently cheating, why monitoring people isn’t enough to make them trustworthy, the difference between shame and adaptive guilt, and what research reveals about building a stronger moral compass. They also unpack why honor codes can sometimes backfire, how inconsistent accountability undermines trust, and what dimension of character we often overlook. Ultimately, Brené and Adam explore the difference between wanting to be seen as a good person and choosing to become the kind of person who does the right thing even when no one else is watching.
Cheating: Why Students Do It and How We Can Help Them Stop – Donald McCabe, 2001, American Educator
Brené Brown: The Rage Bucket Theory – Trevor Noah, June 4, 2026, What Now? with Trevor Noah
Pickleball Line Rules: Calling the Ball “In” or “Out” – PlayPickleball.com, July 31, 2024, YouTube
How Handwriting Trains the Brain – Gwendolyn Bounds, October 5, 2010, The Wall Street Journal
Moral Emotions and Moral Behavior – Tangney et al., 2007, Annual Review of Psychology
Shame and Guilt – Tangney & Dearing, 2002, Guilford Press
Shame v. Guilt – Brené Brown, January 14, 2013, brenebrown.com
The Honor Committee – University of Virginia, honor.virginia.edu
Bicentennial Analysis – UVA Honor Committee, 2019, University of Virginia
Trump Reports Over $1 Billion in Income From Crypto Ventures – TIME, June 30, 2026, TIME
Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act of 2012 – U.S. Congress, 2012, Pub. L. No. 112-105
This Is Your Brain on Drugs – Partnership for a Drug-Free America, 1987, YouTube
Beyond Pleasure and Pain – Higgins, 1997, American Psychologist
Self-Discrepancy: A Theory Relating Self and Affect – Higgins, 1987, Psychological Review
Possible Selves – Markus & Nurius, 1986, American Psychologist
The BRAVING Inventory – Brené Brown, brenebrown.com
An Integrative Model of Organizational Trust – Mayer et al., 1995, Academy of Management Review
Integrity Is Choosing Courage Over Comfort – Brené Brown, brenebrown.com
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones – James Clear, 2018, Avery
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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