You can get a yellow card for simulation on the pitch. Several were handed out at the last world cup.
Diving is primarily done to:
- draw a foul when in the opponents goal box. Success rate for pk's at a pro level is north of 90%. And in pro matches, one goal is all it takes - so you are talking about the match. (Personal note - I have won 3 games for my own team in the last 5 years doing this)
- trying to get an opponent tossed. 2 Yellows = 1 Red. Red card means you are gone for two games and your team can't replace you in the match where the card was given, so they play down. Being one man up is a big deal
- dealing with continuous play. The clock DOES NOT STOP in soccer. Not for a cramp, not for a loose shinguard, not for a bloody nose or untied boot. It's the only way to manage the clock. Sometimes minor injuries are played up a bit to force the tempo of the game down and give your team a chance to settle down.
Some players are just actors though. They do it for the attention. Even soccer players hate those douches.
Most of what you are seeing is strategy. Or misinterpreting actual fouls - as Yuki noted, it's hard to understand the sheer speed the game is played at unless you are up close (or are a player.) It doesn't take much to upset balance at those speeds....people tend to not be graceful when they are sprinting and get tripped, and that's essentially what happens in soccer.
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