Elementary School Students' Moral Dilemma Regarding Cheating Practices: Analysis of Attitudes and Decision Making

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the moral dilemma faced by elementary school students in responding to cheating, particularly in social situations involving peer pressure. This study used a qualitative descriptive approach and was conducted at a State Islamic Elementary School in Bandar Lampung. The research subjects consisted of purposively selected elementary school students. Data collection was conducted through semi-structured interviews, and data analysis employed thematic analysis to identify patterns, categories, and themes that emerged from the interviews. The results showed that students' attitudes toward cheating spanned a spectrum: firm rejection, ambivalence, and a tendency toward permissiveness. The findings also revealed a moral dilemma between the values of honesty and social solidarity, in which some students tend to compromise moral values under peer pressure. The students' decision-making process is dynamic and contextual, influenced by cognitive, emotional, and social environmental factors. Furthermore, a gap was found between students' moral knowledge and actual practice, even though they understand the importance of honesty. Factors such as teachers' roles, peer influence, and religious values also shape students' attitudes and decisions. This study concludes that cheating behavior in elementary school students is not only related to individual factors but also to a complex interaction between moral values and social context. Therefore, character education needs to be developed more contextually, emphasizing habituation, role modeling, and strengthening the social environment that supports the development of consistently honest behavior