Name: Beware conflicts of interest
Uploaded: 2011-08-29T14:29:34Z
Duration: 5 min 18 s
Description: In this short talk, psychologist Dan Ariely tells two personal stories that explore scientific conflict of interest: How the pursuit of knowledge and insight can be affected, consciously or not, by shortsighted personal goals. When we're thinking about the big questions, he reminds us, let's be aware of our all-too-human brains.

In this short talk, psychologist Dan Ariely tells two personal stories that explore scientific conflict of interest: How the pursuit of knowledge and insight can be affected, consciously or not, by shortsighted personal goals. When we're thinking about the big questions, he reminds us, let's be aware of our all-too-human brains.

Beware conflicts of interest

Personal incentives can distort both medical advice and scientific research, often without anyone noticing. After refusing a bizarre facial tattoo treatment, the speaker learned the doctor only needed a third patient to publish a paper. In a lab, removing one drunk participant nearly gave the desired result, exposing how easy it is to justify biased choices. Recognizing these hidden conflicts is difficult, but understanding them is the first step toward making better decisions.