Chapter 2: The Case of the Finicky Reactions: A Case Study of Trust, Accountability, and Misconduct

Scientific knowledge-building requires careful engagement with the phenomena being studied and with other researchers. In instances where attempts to replicate research findings fail, it can be challenging to determine whether the source of the problem is an experimental factor or a scientist who is not trustworthy. This chapter presents a case study to illuminate the ethical challenges of responding to a failure to reproduce an experiment in a training environment. Ethical analysis of the case takes account of features of the situation connected to knowledge-building and to competition between scientists for credit, and includes consideration of how obligations to trainees and to the broader scientific community can shift depending on the facts in evidence.