Yangqiushi
Unethical Behavior--
Fraud Case In Psychology Research
Qiushi Yang
Cohort 2
April 20, 2013
In October 2011, Diederik Stapel, a well-known psychologist of Tilburg University, as a rising star in the field of psychology research who published many psychology papers widely in leading professional journals in including science, committed academic fraud in “several dozen” published papers after being found by an investigating committee. Obviously, Stapel’s fraudulent, shows deep flaws in psychology science research, not only ruined his own career, but also cause a long-term harm to the entire psychology science field which recently just earned a fragile respectability. However, as a qualified expert dedicated almost his whole life to psychology science,Stapel should have known the seriousness and viciousness of academic fraud and how unethical as a scientist and a professor of many students who trust him unconditionally. Why he still made such a infantile unethical mistake? This article aims to explain how such an egregious act of unethical behavior could have been excused or ignored from the perspective of Diederik Stapel’s university--Tilburg University. First of all, as one disputed fact, a University’s reputation fundamentally related to its academic quality which is mainly based on its professors’ academic achievements, in other words, the interests of a university are bound up with the interest of its professors. The more achievements with high quality(i.e. Winning Nobel prize, publishing articles in leading academic journals etc.) its professor can get the better reputation the university can gain. Before he was caught by the investigation committee Stapel had fabricated data for over 50 peer-reviewed articles without supervision. Stick out a mile, such a egregious act can not be done in short period of time, except the ethical rules which aims to protect the participants’ privacies, what made the university keep blind to
Fraud Case In Psychology Research
Qiushi Yang
Cohort 2
April 20, 2013
In October 2011, Diederik Stapel, a well-known psychologist of Tilburg University, as a rising star in the field of psychology research who published many psychology papers widely in leading professional journals in including science, committed academic fraud in “several dozen” published papers after being found by an investigating committee. Obviously, Stapel’s fraudulent, shows deep flaws in psychology science research, not only ruined his own career, but also cause a long-term harm to the entire psychology science field which recently just earned a fragile respectability. However, as a qualified expert dedicated almost his whole life to psychology science,Stapel should have known the seriousness and viciousness of academic fraud and how unethical as a scientist and a professor of many students who trust him unconditionally. Why he still made such a infantile unethical mistake? This article aims to explain how such an egregious act of unethical behavior could have been excused or ignored from the perspective of Diederik Stapel’s university--Tilburg University. First of all, as one disputed fact, a University’s reputation fundamentally related to its academic quality which is mainly based on its professors’ academic achievements, in other words, the interests of a university are bound up with the interest of its professors. The more achievements with high quality(i.e. Winning Nobel prize, publishing articles in leading academic journals etc.) its professor can get the better reputation the university can gain. Before he was caught by the investigation committee Stapel had fabricated data for over 50 peer-reviewed articles without supervision. Stick out a mile, such a egregious act can not be done in short period of time, except the ethical rules which aims to protect the participants’ privacies, what made the university keep blind to
References: Bazeman, Max H., Tenbrunsel, Ann E. (2011). Blind Spot: Why We Fail To Do What’s Right and What to Do about It Benedict,C.(2011). Fraud Case Seen as a Red Flag for Psychology Research.Retrieved.April 20, 2013 fromhttp://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/03/health/research/noted-dutch-psychologist-stapel-accused-of-research-fraud.html?_r=2& Denny,B &Eric,J.(2013).Derailed: The Rise and Fall of Diederik Stapel.Retrieved.April 20, 2013 fromhttp://www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/publications/observer/2013/january-13/derailed-the-rise-and-fall-of-diederik-stapel.html