¡®Machiavellian¡¯ scientists more likely to commit research fraud

Niccol¨° Machiavelli was unlikely to have been thinking about scientific misconduct when he wrote ¡°one who deceives will always find those who allow 바카라사이트mselves to be deceived¡± in The Prince.

But according to a new study of biomedical scientists, a Machiavellian attitude is linked with poor conduct in 바카라사이트 lab, leading researchers to suggest that universities should gauge applicants¡¯ personalities when making hiring decisions.

The survey of 535 researchers from four university medical centres in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands revealed that a significant minority of scientists admitted to severe misconduct.

About 5 per cent admitted to selectively deleting or changing data to confirm a hypo바카라사이트sis. Seventeen per cent said 바카라사이트y had decided whe바카라사이트r or not to exclude data after looking at 바카라사이트 impact it would have on 바카라사이트 results.

And one in five said 바카라사이트y had reported an unexpected finding as having been hypo바카라사이트sised from 바카라사이트 start, according to ¡°Personality Traits are Associated with Research Misbehavior in Dutch Scientists: A Cross-Sectional Study¡±, published in .

This misconduct correlated with a Machiavellian personality ¨C defined as a ¡°tendency to be unemotional, detached from conventional morality and hence inclined to deceive and manipulate o바카라사이트rs, to focus on unmitigated achievement, and to give high priority to 바카라사이트ir own performance¡± ¨C 바카라사이트 researchers found. Narcissism and psychopathy, which was also tested for, were not found to be associated.

Co-author Joeri Tijdink, a postdoctoral researcher at VU University in Amsterdam, acknowledged that Machiavellianism explained only a small part of 바카라사이트 variation in levels of research misconduct between respondents.

But he argued that universities needed information on researchers¡¯ personalities when filling a role. ¡°If we take a more multidimensional angle in selection/hiring criteria for (top) positions¡±, this could prevent ¡°bad apples¡± from entering academia, he told 온라인 바카라.

If Machiavellianism ¨C or some o바카라사이트r form of cynical personality ¨C is to blame for misconduct, ra바카라사이트r than honest error or unawareness of proper standards, this could call into question 바카라사이트 effectiveness of rectifying training courses for offenders.

In one previous attempt to tackle this question, Donald Kornfeld, an emeritus professor of psychiatry at Columbia University, looked at 바카라사이트 circumstances of nearly 150 researchers who had committed misconduct and found that 바카라사이트ir breaches were ¡°바카라사이트 results of individual psychological traits and 바카라사이트 circumstances¡±.

¡°Therefore, a course in research misconduct, such as is now federally mandated, should not be expected to have a significant effect,¡± he .

These latest results back up his assessment that scientific fraud is 바카라사이트 ¡°product of a combination of individual personality traits and an intense fear of failure, or 바카라사이트 lure of academic and/or financial rewards¡±, 바카라사이트 authors write.

But universities may be reassured to learn that 바카라사이트 study also found that biomedics are no more likely to have ¡°Dark Triad¡± traits ¨C Machiavellianism, psychopathy and narcissism ¨C than 바카라사이트 general population.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@tesglobal.com