Sacco Donald F, Bruton Samuel V, Hajnal Alen, Lustgraaf Chris J N
Department of Psychology, The University of Southern Mississippi, Owings-McQuagge Hall, 118 College Drive #5025, Hattiesburg, MS, 39406, USA,
Sci Eng Ethics. 2015 Aug;21(4):875-94. doi: 10.1007/s11948-014-9572-6. Epub 2014 Jul 10.
This study explored how disclosure of financial conflicts of interest (FCOI) influences naïve or "lay" individuals' perceptions of the ethicality of researcher conduct. On a between-subjects basis, participants read ten scenarios in which researchers disclosed or failed to disclose relevant financial conflicts of interest. Participants evaluated the extent to which each vignette represented a FCOI, its possible influence on researcher objectivity, and the ethics of the financial relationship. Participants were then asked if they had completed a college-level ethics course. Results indicated that FCOI disclosure significantly influenced participants' perceptions of the ethicality of the situation, but only marginally affected perceptions of researcher objectivity and had no significant influence on perceptions of the existence of FCOIs. Participants who had previously completed a college-level ethics course appeared more sensitive to the importance of FCOI disclosure than those who lacked such background. This result suggests that formal ethical training may help individuals become more critical consumers of scientific research.
本研究探讨了经济利益冲突（FCOI）的披露如何影响外行个体对研究者行为道德性的认知。在一项被试间设计中，参与者阅读了十个场景，其中研究者披露或未披露相关经济利益冲突。参与者评估每个小场景中经济利益冲突的程度、其对研究者客观性的可能影响以及财务关系的道德性。然后询问参与者是否完成了大学水平的伦理学课程。结果表明，经济利益冲突的披露显著影响了参与者对情境道德性的认知，但仅轻微影响了对研究者客观性的认知，且对经济利益冲突存在性的认知没有显著影响。之前完成过大学水平伦理学课程的参与者似乎比缺乏此类背景的参与者对经济利益冲突披露的重要性更敏感。这一结果表明，正规的道德培训可能有助于个体成为对科学研究更具批判性的消费者。
