PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS UNDERLYING UNETHICAL RESEARCH

Year 2017, Volume: 7 , 211 - 215, 08.09.2017

Sahar Nazemian Farhad Balash Reza Balash

Abstract

This
study is to cast a light on psychological factors, which force faculty members
toward conducting unethical research. Since psychological factors are the key
factors to control human behavior, in this paper, they are highlighted as the
main purpose of the study. Methodologically, a qualitative approach was applied
to reveal the factors. Thematic analysis assisted the researchers discovering
the main factors. Ten faculty members were interviewed as to understand the
ways that factors could deploy around the phenomenon. By considering Kurt
Lewin’s force field theory, the factors were directed based on their
iterations. Results show that lack of self-control as a result of faculty
members’ self-interest, lack of moral awareness, self-justification, and
negative self-image would lead to a paucity of research ethics.

Keywords

Research ethics, faculty members, psychological factors

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