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Viewpoint: Beasts of the field? Ethics in agricultural and applied economics

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  • Josephson, Anna
  • Michler, Jeffrey D.

Abstract

Ongoing changes to research practices and recent media attention to agricultural and applied economics have raised new ethical problems, but also created opportunities for new solutions. In this paper, we discuss ethical issues facing the profession and propose potential ways in which the field can address these issues. We divide our discussion into two topics. First are ethical issues that arise during the collection, management and analysis of data. Second are ethical issues faced by researchers as they formulate, fund, and disseminate their research. We pay special attention to issues of data dredging or p-hacking and potential ethical issues arising from interaction with the media.

Suggested Citation

  • Josephson, Anna & Michler, Jeffrey D., 2018. "Viewpoint: Beasts of the field? Ethics in agricultural and applied economics," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 1-11.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jfpoli:v:79:y:2018:i:c:p:1-11
    DOI: 10.1016/j.foodpol.2018.08.001
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    Cited by:

    1. Vecchio, Riccardo, 2022. "Fostering the debate among scholars to support the advancement of knowledge in the food-related consumer research: A commentary," Economia agro-alimentare / Food Economy, Italian Society of Agri-food Economics/Società Italiana di Economia Agro-Alimentare (SIEA), vol. 24(2), September.
    2. Jeffrey D. Michler & William A. Masters & Anna Josephson, 2021. "Research ethics beyond the IRB: Selection bias and the direction of innovation in applied economics," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 43(4), pages 1352-1365, December.
    3. Riccardo Vecchio, 2022. "Fostering the debate among scholars to support the advancement of knowledge in the food-related consumer research: A commentary," Economia agro-alimentare, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 24(2), pages 1-15.
    4. Leonhard Lades & Federica Nova, 2022. "Ethical Considerations when using Behavioural Insights to Reduce Peoples Meat Consumption," Working Papers 202209, Geary Institute, University College Dublin.
    5. Maurizio Canavari & Andreas C. Drichoutis & Jayson L. Lusk & Rodolfo M. Nayga, Jr., 2018. "How to run an experimental auction: A review of recent advances," Working Papers 2018-5, Agricultural University of Athens, Department Of Agricultural Economics.
    6. Travis J. Lybbert & Steven T. Buccola, 2021. "The evolving ethics of analysis, publication, and transparency in applied economics," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 43(4), pages 1330-1351, December.
    7. Josephson, Anna & Smale, Melinda, 2020. "What do you mean by ‘informed consent’? Ethics in economic development research," MetaArXiv py654, Center for Open Science.
    8. Anna Josephson & Melinda Smale, 2021. "What Do you Mean by “Informed Consent”? Ethics in Economic Development Research†," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 43(4), pages 1305-1329, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Ethics; Scientific misconduct; Research practice; Research misconduct; Role of economists;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A11 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Role of Economics; Role of Economists
    • B41 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Economic Methodology - - - Economic Methodology
    • Q10 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - General

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