Benedict Carey in today’s Times on academic fraud: ‘Dr. Stapel was able to operate for so long, the committee said, in large measure because he was “lord of the data,” the only person who saw the experimental evidence that had been gathered (or fabricated). This is a widespread problem in psychology, said Jelte M. Wicherts, a psychologist at the University of Amsterdam. In a recent survey, two-thirds of Dutch research psychologists said they did not make their raw data available for other researchers to see. “This is in violation of ethical rules established in the field,” Dr. Wicherts said.’

We are used to journalists making up stories. Why wouldn’t scientists fabricate data and/or experiments?

People tend to love shortcuts and when they believe they can violate ethical standards with impunity they will do so. I don’t need an experiment to prove this theory.