Behavioral science fraud is on the rise, with 10,000 research papers retracted last year. The podcast discusses the motivations behind cheating, the impact of false findings on public policy and public health, and the challenges researchers face. It also delves into specific cases, such as a controversial research paper and fraud in an insurance paper. The speakers share their personal experiences and highlight the detrimental effects of fraud on the credibility of social science research.

Max Bazerman, a behavioral science expert from Harvard, Leif Nelson from UC Berkeley known for tackling research misconduct, and Brian Nosek, a champion of research integrity at the University of Virginia, explore the alarming rise of academic fraud. They discuss the pressures that lead researchers to manipulate data and the far-reaching consequences of retracted papers. The conversation delves into high-profile cases and their implications on public trust, while emphasizing the urgent need for accountability and ethical standards in academia.

Max Bazerman, a Harvard Business School professor, discusses the ethics of academia, spotlighting the systemic pressures that lead to misconduct. Brian Nosek from the University of Virginia talks about his efforts in promoting transparency through the Open Science Framework, revealing the reluctance in academia to share data. Ivan Oransky, co-founder of Retraction Watch, exposes the challenges surrounding the integrity of publishing, especially after Hindawi's retraction of over 8,000 fraudulent papers. The episode sheds light on the pervasive issues of trust and accountability in research.

Professors Max Bazerman and Leif Nelson discuss academic fraud and misconduct, highlighting the prevalence of misconduct in research. They explore the pressures researchers face in publishing, unconventional practices, and the challenges of peer review. They also emphasize the need for transparency in research and a new approach to the incentive system in academia.

We find it easy to condemn wrongdoers, after they’ve been called out. But why do we often let unethical behavior occur around us, and not speak out? If we take a step back from the idea of there being one “bad apple”, we realize that with any wrongdoing, there is a collection of people who have been complicit in the behavior. Why is there so much fear about speaking up? “We've created too much fear in speaking up, when in fact, there's so much value in avoiding harm in that process.“ ~ Max Bazerman Our fascinating conversation with Max Bazerman aligns with the publication of his excellent new book, “Complicit: How We Enable the Unethical and How to Stop”. Our discussion is rich with insight, in particular we delve into the reason that we hold people, including ourselves, more responsible for errors of commission than omission. So how can we avoid errors of omission? Max Bazerman is a world famous behavioral scientist. He is the Jesse Isidor Straus Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School and the Co-Director of the Center for Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School. He is the author, co-author, or co-editor of twenty books and over 200 research articles and chapters. His awards include an honorary doctorate from the University of London and both the Distinguished Educator Award and the Distinguished Scholar Award from the Academy of Management.  Over the years, Max has brought focus to the areas of decision making and ethics. Having been on the show before, we were delighted to welcome Max back to Behavioral Grooves once again. We hope you enjoy this episode of Behavioral Grooves. If you do, please write a review or share with a friend on Apple Podcasts. Thanks, listeners!   Topics (3:16) What does it mean to be complicit? (13:02) How errors of omission play an under-rated role in complicit behavior. (18:21) How to move away from the idea that there is one bad apple? (21:48) Unethical behavior goes unnoticed when it happens gradually. (23:14) Do we legitimize unethical behavior in our leaders? (25:51) Do employees need to be made to care about unethical behavior or do they need to demand ethical behavior from employees? (27:26) When complicitors are engaged in illegal behavior. (29:29) How can we hold people accountable for their bad behavior? (37:33) Max’s personal story of being complicit. (39:31) Are there new norms on data collection that can eliminate fraud? (42:23) Dolly Chugh’s question for Max. (46:11) How can we all become better people? (49:05) What music does Max enjoy?   © 2022 Behavioral Grooves Links Max Bazerman’s book: “Complicit: How We Enable the Unethical and How to Stop”: https://amzn.to/3UKjfNJ  Episode 196, Living Happier By Making the World Better with Max Bazerman: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/living-happier-by-making-the-world-better-with-max-bazerman/  Episode 325, Dolly Chugh: Can You Unlearn History And Still Love Your Country? With Dolly Chugh: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/dolly-chugh/  Bobo Doll Experiments: https://www.simplypsychology.org/bobo-doll.html  Episode 247, Stanford Prison Experiment, 50 Years On: What Have We Really Learnt? With Dr Philip Zimbardo: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/stanford-prison-experiment/  Heroic Imagination Society: https://www.heroicimagination.org/    Musical Links  Bob Dylan “Blowin’ in the wind”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMFj8uDubsE