Doctoral Dissertation Research: Rational Choice and Moral Intent in the Responsible Conduct of Research

本奖项用于研究科研人员学术不端行为的博士论文。几十年来，学生之间的学术不端行为一直是大量文献的焦点，而教师之间的学术不端行为受到的实证关注要少得多。一些研究考察了组织对不当行为的影响，包括研究生院的教育和指导。本研究将通过实证检验理性和道德判断对教师研究不端行为的可能影响，并将重点放在社会科学方面，从而为文献做出贡献。本研究的目的是探索人类行为的一种特定理论——理性选择理论——在研究不端行为现象中的应用。这将在道德决策框架的背景下进行。在一个有影响力的道德决策模型中，涉及四个因素：道德意识/敏感、道德判断/推理、道德意图（平衡道德与其他相关问题，形成以一种方式或另一种方式行动的意图）和道德行为。这些因素与理性选择措施之间的关系，感知到的发现和制裁的可能性，将通过涉及明确或模糊的不当行为的常见研究情况的场景进行探讨。参与者将评估他们自己采取场景中描述的行动的可能性，同时也评估情境的道德和理性选择特征。统计方法将用于根据这些道德和理性选择评估，以及其他解释性因素，如过去的不当行为暴露和感知的程序正义，来预测从事不当行为的意图。潜在的更广泛影响本研究对学术培训、科学和学术实践以及公共政策具有重要意义。特别是，它可能会影响公共和私人学术机构对研究不端行为的看法和处理方式。在道德和/或理性选择因素起作用的范围内，除了促进对道德敏感性和意图的更多关注外，还可以在机构中制定新的政策来处理教员奖励制度。在学术场所广泛传播结果可能会刺激对这些重要问题的进一步讨论以及该领域的额外实证工作，从而最终有助于减少问题。

IntroductionThis award is for a doctoral dissertation research into academic misconduct of science researchers. Academic misconduct among students has been the focus of a tremendous amount of literature for a number of decades, unlike academic misconduct among faculty, which has received much less empirical attention. A few studies have examined organizational effects on misconduct, including education and mentoring in graduate school. This research will contribute to the literature by empirically examining the possible effects of rational and moral judgments on faculty research misconduct, with a focus on the social sciences. Intellectual MeritThe purpose of the proposed study is to explore the application of a particular theory of human behavior, Rational Choice Theory, to the phenomenon of misconduct in research. This will be done in the context of a moral decision-making framework. In one influential model for moral decision-making, four factors are involved: Moral awareness/sensitivity, moral judgment/reasoning, moral intent (the balancing of moral with other pertinent issues to form an intent to act in one fashion or another), and moral behavior. The relationship between these factors and rational choice measures of the perceived likelihood of detection and sanctions will be explored using scenarios of common research situations involving clear or ambiguous misconduct. Participants will rate the likelihood they themselves would take the action described in the scenario while also rating the moral and rational choice features of the situation. Statistical methods will be used to predict the intent to engage in misconduct in light of these moral and rational choice assessments, and other explanatory factors such as past exposure to misconduct and perceived procedural justice. Potential Broader ImpactsThis research has significant implications for academic training, scientific and scholarship practices, and public policy. In particular, it may influence the way that research misconduct is perceived and addressed in public and private academic institutions. To the extent that moral and/or rational choice factors are at work, new policies may be developed in institutions that address the system of rewards for faculty in addition to advancing greater attention to moral sensitivity and intent. Broad dissemination of the results in scholarly venues likely will stimulate further discussion of these important issues as well as additional empirical work in this area, and thereby eventually contribute to a reduction in the problem.