The study explored the views and experiences of learning research ethics and becoming members of an academic community among students in behavioral sciences. The authors discuss the interaction between commitment to the ethical principles of the scientific community and socialization. The study is part of the Academy of Finland funded research project “Teaching and Learning Academic Integrity in Social Sciences”.

In Finnish: Opiskelijat matkalla kohti tiedeyhteisön jäsenyyttä: tutkimusetiikan näkökulma. Tutkimuksessa tarkasteltiin käyttäytymistieteellisten aineiden opiskelijoiden käsityksiä tutkimusetiikasta ja sen oppimisesta sekä kasvamisesta tiedeyhteisön jäseniksi. Artikkelissa pohditaan tiedeyhteisön eettisiin käytäntöihin sitoutumisen ja sosialisaation vuorovaikutusta. Tutkimus on osa Suomen Akatemian rahoittamaa “Teaching and Learning Academic Integrity in Social Sciences” -tutkimusta.

Original research article: Rissanen, M. & Löfström, E. ­(Accepted, to appear Dec. 2014). Students’ research ethics competences and the university as a learning environment. International Journal for Educational Integrity, 10(2).

Abstract

The study focuses on the ethical sensitivity of university students in light of their research ethics skills and the university as a learning environment. Eighty-seven students in the behavioral sciences (psychology and educational science) responded to a questionnaire that included three vignettes and measures of empathy, socialization, and experiences of ethical aspects of the learning climate. The vignettes were designed to measure sensitivity to ethical issues in research. The relationship between socialization into the practices of the profession and the institution and the ability to recognize ethical issues in research suggests that students who have already “worked out” the norms and values for themselves have committed to these ethics and are willing to apply them in practice.