Publication pressure and questionable research practices: a moderated mediation model.

This study investigated the relationship between publication pressure and questionable research practices (QRPs), focusing on moral disengagement (MD) and lab research ethics climate. A survey of 269 Chinese PhD students revealed that (1) publication pressure is significantly positively correlated with QRPs and MD; (2) MD mediates the relationship between publication pressure and QRPs; lab research ethics climate moderates both (3) the relationship between publication pressure and MD, and (4) the mediating role of MD between publication pressure and QRPs. Responsible conduct of research education should emphasize potential ethical conflicts in publication, the impact of cognitive patterns of MD, and lab-based interventions for QRPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]