Why do some adolescents cheat and others do not? To answer this question, the relationship between motivational factors and self-reported cheating beliefs and behaviors was examined in a sample of early adolescents. It was hypothesized that cheating and beliefs in the acceptability of cheating would be more likely to occur when students perceived an emphasis on performance and ability, rather than on mastery and improvement. Questionnaires were administered to 285 students in an urban middle school in a southeastern state. Analysis of their answers indicate that students who reported cheating in science perceive their classrooms as being extrinsically focused (e.g., maintaining grades, getting the right answer, avoiding trouble) and perceive their school as being focused on performance and ability. Students who believe in the acceptability of cheating also report personal extrinsic goals. Likewise, students who cheat worry about school, although worry was unrelated to beliefs about the acceptability of cheating. A relationship between cheating and self-handicapping was also evident, with students who engage in self-handicapping behaviors being likely to report that they cheat. Demographic factors were unrelated to cheating and no sex differences were found. The hypothesis was largely proven correct. Contains approximately 80 references. (RJM)