Sport as sacrament. Loving your opponent as yourself. Athletics for the sake of the soul. As issues from racism to doping to violence on and off the playing field gather increasing public notoriety, so, too, are philosophers and ethicists directing their lofty attention to the connection among sports, faith and the common good.

The controversy over whether the New England Patriots may have used tampered footballs in the AFC Championship game offers a platform to take a closer look at a developing body of research on the origins of cheating, and how it has an impact from the integrity of practices at the highest levels of sports and business to the moral attitudes taught to children in youth leagues. Several studies provide insight into who is most likely to cheat, and the factors that can predict integrity or a win-at-all-costs mentality.