Abstract

The current literature review is part of a project-based study exploring the perceptions of university students, scholars, and policymakers in Bulgaria on the issue of academic plagiarism. The paper focuses on plagiarism prevention. The review explores the issue of plagiarism in light of the psychological motivations behind the conscious act of the misconduct, outlining possible directions for minimizing the misconduct in academia in the areas of psychology, law and education separately and in combination. The current literature review considers the misconduct of plagiarism as a universal phenomenon closely linked to the heuristics of human nature. The paper delves into the heuristics of human nature motivating the misconduct from personal, cultural, legal, and educational psychology perspectives, drawing general (universal) and specific (for the Bulgarian context) implications regarding culture and educational and legal policy. Creating, regulating and preserving an empathic, trauma-healing and value-oriented organisational environment in academia emerges as a positive point of convergence and synergy where psychology meets education, culture and the law.