# data[].attributes.body
Diederik Alexander Stapel (born 19 October 1966) is a Dutch former professor of social psychology at Tilburg University.In 2011 Tilburg University suspended Stapel for fabricating and manipulating data for his research publications. This scientific misconduct took place over a number of years and affected dozens of his publications.

Stapel committed data fraud in 55 papers and in 10 Ph.D. theses written by students he supervised. In another 10 papers, scientific misconduct could not be determined beyond a reasonable doubt, but there was "evidence of fraud," such as incorrectly reported p-values or numbers of participant

# data[].attributes.body
Stapel created entirely fake datasets instead of conducting real experiments.

He often designed studies with others, but then said he'd collect the data himself.

This violates the fundamental ethical principle of honesty in research and undermines scientific integrity.

In one example that the report cites, estimated data "obtained from some form or other of smoothing or curve fitting" was presented as the actual raw data.

He will also have some verification bias, which repeat the experiment until it produces desired outcomes

Stapel used stronger, more exaggerated words (e.g., extreme, exceptionally, vastly) in his fraudulent articles compared to genuine ones.

He avoided words that downplay results (e.g., somewhat, partly, slightly), making his findings seem more significant.

His fraudulent papers contained more certainty-related terms, making the results appear more confident and precise.

This linguistic manipulation helped make his fake data seem more convincing.

# data[].attributes.headline
Misuse of Authority and Exploitation of Students

# data[].attributes.subject
Misuse of Authority and Exploitation of Students

# data[].attributes.body
Stapel controlled the research process, giving students fabricated datasets instead of allowing them to collect real data.

He misled students into thinking they were fortunate to receive "pre-collected" data, depriving them of proper research experience.

When students questioned inconsistencies in the data, he dismissed their concerns or reacted with hostility.

He pressured students to write up results without questioning the validity of the data.

Many students unknowingly completed their degrees using fraudulent data, which could harm their academic integrity and future careers.

He discouraged students and colleagues from questioning his data.

He did not tolerate critical questions about his data

He fabricates the data by using his strategies which is collecting the data from other students and assistants and :find the opportunity to manipulate them before passing the data to others.

He collaborate with peer reviewers so that they did not report any manipulation that he made

# data[].attributes.body
In 2011, Tilburg University suspended Stapel for fabricating and manipulating data for his research publications

In June 2013 Stapel agreed, in a settlement with the prosecutor, to perform 120 hours of community service and to lose the right to some benefits associated with his former job equivalent to a year and a half's worth of salary. In this way, he avoided further criminal prosecution.

By 2015, fifty-eight of Stapel's publications had been retracted.He has been described in coverage by the New York Times as "the biggest con man in academic science".

# data[].attributes.headline
Breach of Trust in Academia & Plagiarism and Intellectual Dishonesty

# data[].attributes.subject
Breach of Trust in Academia & Plagiarism and Intellectual Dishonesty

# data[].attributes.body
Stapel deceived not only his students and colleagues but also academic journals, funding agencies, and the broader scientific community. This betrayal of trust weakens public confidence in scientific research.

By publishing fabricated results as if they were real, Stapel effectively engaged in plagiarism—stealing credit for research that never took place and misleading other researchers who built on his work.

# data[].attributes.body
The Importance of Research Integrity – Scientific research must be based on honesty, transparency, and real data to maintain credibility and trust.

Need for Data Transparency – Researchers should always share raw data and allow others to verify findings to prevent fraud.

Encouraging a Culture of Questioning – Students and researchers should be encouraged to ask questions and critically examine data without fear of retaliation.

Impact on Students and Future Scientists – Supervisors have a responsibility to properly train students in ethical research practices instead of misleading them.

# data[].attributes.body
Protecting the Integrity of Published Research – Journals and peer reviewers should enforce stricter requirements for data sharing and replication studies to detect fraud early.

Ethical Responsibility in Science Communication – Researchers must accurately present their findings without exaggeration or misleading language.

Long-Term Consequences of Fraud – Scientific fraud damages not only the researcher’s career but also the credibility of the entire field, wasting time, resources, and trust.

The case emphasized the need for stricter ethical guidelines in research

# data[].attributes.headline
Damage to public trust in academic research 

# data[].attributes.subject
Damage to public trust in academic research 

# data[].attributes.body
Stapel was a highly influential figure in social psychology, publishing in top journals

Increased skepticism from the public: People may become more distrustful of scientific findings.

The fraudulent research practices of social psychologist Diederik Stapel have cast a negative light on the field of social psychology, which has faced multiple integrity issues

# data[].attributes.headline
Increased difficulty in securing funding for future studies

# data[].attributes.subject
Increased difficulty in securing funding for future studies

# data[].attributes.body
Some institutions redirected funding from social psychology to disciplines seen as more “robust” (Eg: natural sciences /engineering)

# data[].attributes.headline
Wasting Resources and Misleading the Scientific Community

# data[].attributes.subject
Wasting Resources and Misleading the Scientific Community

# data[].attributes.body
His fraudulent research wasted funding and resources that could have been used for legitimate studies. Additionally, other researchers may have based their own work on his false findings, leading to wasted time and effort.

# data[].attributes.body
• Social psychology research often influences public policies and societal understanding. Stapel’s fraudulent findings may have misled policymakers and the public, potentially leading to flawed decisions based on false information.