"In that case, modeling and mentoring is why people do or don't cheat, " Wolpe said.

CNN: Cheating arises from desires, incentives, pressures

For Rabbi Wolpe, these results are an important reminder that human nature is deeply shaped by external structures.

WSJ: Jonah Lehrer on Religious Thoughts and Self-Control | Head Case

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Paul Root Wolpe.

CNN: Was the Shell oil hoax ethical?

Atmosphere and institutional culture factor into whether cheating is accepted, said Wolpe.

CNN: Cheating arises from desires, incentives, pressures

"There are a couple of ways to answer that question, " said Paul Root Wolpe, the director for the Center of Ethics at Emory University.

CNN: Cheating arises from desires, incentives, pressures

"The world is full of people who are fastidious about Biblical rules but can't say no to fast food, " says Rabbi David Wolpe of Sinai Temple in Los Angeles.

WSJ: Jonah Lehrer on Religious Thoughts and Self-Control | Head Case

According to research led by Kevin Rounding at Queen's University in Ontario and recently published in Psychological Science, Rabbi Wolpe is right: People are better able to resist their desires when thinking about God.

WSJ: Jonah Lehrer on Religious Thoughts and Self-Control | Head Case