Psychologist admits to faking dozens of scientific studies

Psychologist admits to faking dozens of scientific studies

io9.com

Now, prominent social psychologist Diederik Stapel (who earlier this year reported that something as trivial as litter can promote discriminatory behavior) has been outed as one of the biggest frauds in scientific history. Will social psychology be able to recover?

A preliminary investigative report issued on Monday by Tilburg University has concluded that dozens of research papers authored and co-authored by Stapel contain fabricated data.

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psychologist Diederik Stapel

The article goes on to say :

"We have some 30 papers in peer-reviewed journals where we are actually sure that they are fake, and there are more to come," says Pim Levelt, chair of the committee that investigated Stapel's work. If all of these papers are withdrawn, Stapel's will become one of the worst cases of scientific misconduct in history.

Stapel is the researcher behind a number of eye-catching studies which, prima facie, seem to offer provocative insights into human nature. His research topics range from the effects of beauty product ads on consumer self-esteem, to how urban decay (like littered streets) promote stereotyping and discrimination .

Whether these studies are included in the 30+ papers known to contain fraudulent data remains to be seen. Tilburg University has yet to provide a list of which studies contain fudged results, though Stapel's paper on the tie between urban decay and discrimination, published in April in the journal Science, has already been flagged with an expression of concern by the journal's publishers.

In a statement issued on Monday, Stapel has admitted that he has been committing scientific fraud for years, and expressed regret for casting the field of social psychology. 30 + papers faked is quite incredible, Its amazing that he has got away with it for so long. It seems he was acting alone but this is sure to affect a wide range of people in the same profession. Just goes to show how effective the peer review system really is..

By the way a Social psychologist is not the same as a regular clinical psychologist.

io9.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

And people have been taking medication for years for things that aren't problems. I wonder who put them up to this?

Edit: Yeah, this is S & F

Okay, someone can claim this or that in bad faith and collect a few hundred bucks for a cause that doesn't exist. That is a crime, and it should be.

THIS guy probably had negative and real world effects on thousands if not millions in small and large ways as a result of things done relating to studies he was involved in. Where is his criminal charges? Where is his sentence to serve, even if only a short one?

Alright, Something isn't right and needs fixed in our system, I must say. Quite urgently, I'm thinking.

The whole psychology studies now are about what drugs they get to push on us next. Normally anti-depressants, sometimes anti-psychotics or just placebo bull crap. After being on anti-depressants for 4 years and now more importantly, off for 3 years. I can safely say that being a zombie was crap and now living is fantastic. Unless you have an actual neurological condition or psychological condition beyond just "I am sad and depressed." you should not need or want to be on any sort of pharmaceutical.

The fact doctors are payed bonuses based on how many pills of a certain brand just shows its not just for sick people. Any teenager with mild depressive disorders can walk in, complain and be on with a prescription within five minutes. Hell, if you have a kid with autism or asbergers, have fun finding a doctor that wont push pills or treatment.

reply to post by satron


Social psychology has nothing to do with the diagnosis of diseases or the treatments thereof. This would be the realm of clinical psychology, psychiatry, neurology, and psychopharmacology. This will hurt social psychology however. From just a quick look at Google Scholar it looks like his papers are widely cited.

Reply to post by AaronWilson

What are you on about? Diederik Stapel was a social psychologist, none of his studies would have any effect on prescribing medication. His area of study was behavior, thats it. Not mental illness.


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reply to post by satron

Now then just because this guy has faked papers lets not assume everyone else has, while I do agree we are labeling to many things to mental illness (The area I work in) lets not forget that it affects 1 in 3 of us during our life times.
I see a trend of people going on about the Med's and I think Med's do work it's just a lot harder to find the right one's for each patient.
Also a big problem is self medication and people going on the internet to diagnose themselves.
Just because he is a bad apple don't think everyone else is.
The psychiatric professionals I have met are 100% dedicated to getting people better and do a job what most people could not.
Edit just saw the OP headline and then they guy's comments on med's but my post is still right

reply to post by acmpnsfal


jumped the gun.

*back to the shadows i go*

A peer reviewed paper faked? 30 or more you say? Oh surely not! These folks would never lie! It has to be a mistake. Tell me it isn't so! No one in the academia would ever fake a scientific study.

At least it isn't common. Right? Please tell me this isn't common.

To the OP can you change the title of your thread please to Social Psychologist etc please

reply to post by boymonkey74


The title has to be exactly the same as the article its was taken from , thats the rules of the forum. The very first line of the post explains that he is a social psychologist so it shouldn't be to confusing.

Well posters have already found it confusing and your title suggests its just a normal Psychologist and the person is a Social Psychologist, so sod the rules because your title is false (wherever you got it from) and if a mentally ill person reads this and make's the mistake people have already and stops taking their Meds cos of this....well thats going to be on you.

reply to post by PhoenixOD


It doesn't matter because a majority of their work is theory based anyway...big whoop....strange breed

enter exhibit A councilLink

Originally posted by boymonkey74
Well posters have already found it confusing and your title suggests its just a normal Psychologist and the person is a Social Psychologist, so sod the rules because your title is false (wherever you got it from) and if a mentally ill person reads this and make's the mistake people have already and stops taking their Meds cos of this....well thats going to be on you.

Give it a rest already. He posted according to forum rules. He can't change it. If you're worried about it, contact staff with the ALERT button.

Mod note: Please don't hassle people for following the forum rules and leave the moderating to the mods. Thanks. -- Majic

Does anyone know what it was that sparked the investigation in the first place?

The report is in Dutch...which I'm not too good at ....and all the news I can find just reiterates the results - not the initiating suspicion.

Originally posted by boymonkey74
reply to post by satron

 

Now then just because this guy has faked papers lets not assume everyone else has, while I do agree we are labeling to many things to mental illness (The area I work in) lets not forget that it affects 1 in 3 of us during our life times.
I see a trend of people going on about the Med's and I think Med's do work it's just a lot harder to find the right one's for each patient.
Also a big problem is self medication and people going on the internet to diagnose themselves.
Just because he is a bad apple don't think everyone else is.
The psychiatric professionals I have met are 100% dedicated to getting people better and do a job what most people could not.
Edit just saw the OP headline and then they guy's comments on med's but my post is still right

edit on 2-11-2011 by boymonkey74 because: (no reason given)

I believe there are more honest scientists than dishonest ones, but the problem is that you never know WHICH ONE is the one to trust. Obviously this guy was highly thought of in the community and other researchers trusted him. His articles were published in prominent publications. How is one to determine which paper presents the truth and which paper will one day be discovered to be a complete fraud? There are many cases like this in all fields of science and medicine. This is a lesson to take everything with a grain of salt. Even the most respected "experts" may one day turn out to be frauds, just like this guy.

The government wants you all medicated and sedated, and for 2 reasons. First, there is money to be made by telling you you're sick or dysfunctional and selling the pills that make it all magically go away, when more than likely you are all taking placebos or happy pills. Second the pills you do take constantly change to NEW and IMPROVED pills because they are all being tweaked to eventually have the same effect: destroy your Will, your ability to think for yourself and stand up for your Rights as a Human. I say You because I am not so easily manipulated, even though I do consume food, beverages and h2o that has been tampered with so maybe one day I also shall lose my Will. Now I'm sad and want a blue one. Or was that a red one?


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Originally posted by DoNotForgetMe
The government wants you all medicated and sedated, and for 2 reasons. First, there is money to be made by telling you you're sick or dysfunctional and selling the pills that make it all magically go away, when more than likely you are all taking placebos or happy pills. Second the pills you do take constantly change to NEW and IMPROVED pills because they are all being tweaked to eventually have the same effect: destroy your Will, your ability to think for yourself and stand up for your Rights as a Human. I say You because I am not so easily manipulated, even though I do consume food, beverages and h2o that has been tampered with so maybe one day I also shall lose my Will. Now I'm sad and want a blue one. Or was that a red one?

 

Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

 

The person who faked all the papers is a Social Psychologist he doesn't give pill's to anyone.
Also have you ever met anyone who is Mentally ill? No I will change the question have you ever met anyone who is mentally ill who is not on medication? you can't just say they don't do the person any good.
We in the Mental Health profession are trying to get people better, we don't medicate anyone who is not ill.
Mods this is another example of someone misunderstanding the title and jumping to the conclusion that it is a Clinical Psychologist