Which of the following is an example of a conflict of interest?

Question

• A. A student writes an essay arguing that Honda is the most reliable car manufacturer, but he's only ever owned Toyotas.
• B. A psychologist applies for a research grant from a university in another state to research the effects of sleep deprivation on undergraduate students.
• C. An English professor writes an in-depth analysis of Spenser's The Faerie Queen but doesn't cite any of the sources used in their research.
• D. A biologist accepts funding from an oil company to research climate change and doesn't mention this funding in the research

Answer 1

The best example of a conflict of interest from the options provided is:

D. A biologist accepts funding from an oil company to research climate change and doesn't mention this funding in the research.

This scenario exemplifies a conflict of interest because the biologist's relationship with the oil company could influence their research outcomes, and failing to disclose this funding could lead to questions about the integrity and objectivity of the research.