I have noticed that classmates around me who are inclined to cheat on exams and assignments are more likely to leave the mall with a lottery ticket after each shopping trip. I believe this phenomenon itself is determined by their degree of risk preference. Cheating on exams at university is high-risk and severely punished, but the payoff if successful is considerable. This logic is similar to that of lotteries. Moreover, existing research has shown that risk preference is closely related to personal habits, genetics, the surrounding environment, and other factors. However, developing this idea into a researchable topic is extremely difficult, including but not limited to endogeneity issues. I am wondering whether this can be regarded as a question worth further exploration.
