Research Group "Reflexive Metrics", Institut für Sozialwissenschaften, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
PLoS One. 2023 Apr 6;18(4):e0281613. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0281613. eCollection 2023.
Recent research in the field of reflexive metrics, which analyses the effects of the use of performance indicators on scientific conduct, has studied the emergence and consequences of evaluation gaps in science. The concept of evaluation gaps captures potential discrepancies between what researchers value about their research, in particular research quality, and what metrics measure. In the language of rational choice theory, an evaluation gap persists if motivational factors arising out of the internal component of an actor's situation are incongruent with those arising out of the external components. The aim of this research is therefore to study and compare autonomous and controlled motivations to become an astronomer, to do research in astronomy and to publish scientific papers. This study is based on a comprehensive quantitative survey of academic and non-academic astronomers worldwide with 3509 responses. By employing verified instruments to measure perceived publication pressure, distributive & procedural justice, overcommitment to work and observation of scientific misconduct, this paper also investigates how these different motivational factors affect research output and behaviour. I find evidence for an evaluation gap and that controlled motivational factors arising from evaluation procedures based on publication record drives up publication pressure, which, in turn, was found to increase the likelihood of perceived frequency of misbehaviour.
最近在反思性指标领域的研究中，分析了使用绩效指标对科学行为的影响，研究了科学中评价差距的出现和后果。评价差距的概念捕捉到了研究人员对其研究的重视（特别是研究质量）与指标衡量之间的潜在差异。在理性选择理论的语言中，如果行为者情境的内部组成部分产生的动机因素与外部组成部分产生的动机因素不一致，就会存在评价差距。因此，这项研究的目的是研究和比较成为天文学家、在天文学领域进行研究和发表科学论文的自主和控制动机。这项研究基于对全球学术和非学术天文学家的全面定量调查，共有 3509 名受访者。通过使用经过验证的工具来衡量感知到的出版压力、分配和程序正义、对工作的过度承诺以及观察科学不端行为，本文还研究了这些不同的动机因素如何影响研究成果和行为。我发现存在评价差距的证据，并且基于出版物记录的评价程序产生的控制动机因素会增加出版压力，而出版压力反过来又被发现会增加感知到的不端行为的频率。
