Conflict of Interest in Research

Conflict of Conscience

A conflict of conscience occurs when the personal values or beliefs of the researcher interfere with objectivity. Value and belief systems, such as religion and culturally defined norms, influence behavior and have the potential to impact decision making, resulting in skewed data analysis or reporting. For example, a researcher opposed to gay marriage may struggle to objectively analyze communication strategies employed by LGBT advocacy organizations to sway public opinion. Likewise, an abstinence-only sexual health education advocate may struggle to [Page 234]assess the benefits and effectiveness of comprehensive sexual health programs that advocate birth control, exploration of sexuality, and issues related to gender identity.

Intellectual Bias

“Publish or perish” is engrained in the mind of many young scholars. The pressure to publish and/or validate previous findings is immense in the scholarly community as the number of publications is tied to the tenure review process at many institutions. When researchers lose objectivity and skew data or findings to “fit” with previous research or promote a research agenda, a COI exists. For example, a researcher may choose not to publish research that contradicts previous findings. Likewise, a scholar promoting a particular theory may choose to ignore data that contradicts the theoretical construct. A scholar known to question the effectiveness or validity of fear appeals in health communication message construction, for example, may choose to ignore data indicating fear appeals are effective at modifying behavior.

Funding and Financial COI

Having a funding and financial stake in the outcome of research has the potential to be a COI. Funding and financial COI may exist on multiple levels. First, scholars seek to secure grants and funding from outside agencies to support research, and the ability to secure funding may influence the tenure process or status within the institution. When the real or perceived threat of losing funding influences the researcher’s objectivity, a COI exists. Additionally, some researchers may choose to do paid consulting work for an outside agency to earn extra income. If a researcher is tempted to report favorable findings to ensure additional opportunities for paid consulting, a COI exists. Moreover, researchers and/or their extended families may have a financial stake in outside organizations that may fund research or conduct business with their respective institutions. When financial loss or financial gain influences the outcome of scholarly inquiry, a COI exists. Last, there exists the potential for COI when professors publish textbooks and other materials and mandate students purchase the respective texts. If the professor is compensated based on sales data, the perception may be one of taking advantage of students for financial gain, hence a COI.

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