Psychology About Questionable Research Practices

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Questions and Answers

What percentage (approx.) of findings published in top-tier journals successfully replicated?

Two-thirds (correct)

One-third

Three-quarters

Half

What is one of the immediate aims of reformers in psychological research?

Increased funding for research

Less reliance on statistical analysis

Reduction of sample sizes

Greater transparency in study planning/designing (correct)

What does preregistration involve in the context of psychological research?

Delineating one's hypotheses and study plans before conducting a study (correct)

Sharing results with the public before the study

Conducting studies without prior hypotheses

Randomly assigning participants to groups after data collection

Which organization is NOT mentioned as part of the initiatives for credibility in psychological science?

American Psychological Association Signup and view all the answers

Which strategy is suggested to enhance the credibility of findings in psychology?

Leveraging thoroughly tested measures Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'Registered Reports' refer to?

Journals agreeing to publish studies regardless of outcomes Signup and view all the answers

Which argument was made regarding the replication crisis in psychology?

It has led to heated debates about the field’s credibility Signup and view all the answers

What is suggested as a method to ensure reliable results in psychological studies?

Conducting more follow-up testing Signup and view all the answers

How do reformers aim to address the replication crisis in psychology?

By implementing clearer study protocols Signup and view all the answers

Why might certain areas of psychology have stronger evidence than others?

More rigorous methodological approaches in those areas Signup and view all the answers

What is one consequence of questionable research practices in data collection?

Results appear statistically meaningful despite being false. Signup and view all the answers

What was a significant finding from the replication projects in the mid-2010s?

Nearly half of the studies produced similar outcomes. Signup and view all the answers

Which field, besides psychology, has faced questions about methodological rigor?

Cancer research Signup and view all the answers

What publication bias does the research community exhibit?

Prioritizing interesting and surprising findings. Signup and view all the answers

What was the finding of the 2015 landmark paper on replication attempts?

Less than 40% of attempts were successful. Signup and view all the answers

Why might researchers exercise flexibility in their data analysis?

To achieve statistical significance. Signup and view all the answers

Which dubious claim sparked a reexamination of research practices in psychology?

The proof of precognition. Signup and view all the answers

What was a significant result from the 2018 large-scale project testing older findings?

Evidence was found for about half of the studies. Signup and view all the answers

What has prompted discussions on methodological concerns among scientists?

The failure to replicate previous findings. Signup and view all the answers

What triggers the demand for researchers to publish frequently?

Incentives to advance their careers. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Questionable Research Practices

Certain data collection, analysis, and reporting methods, often referred to as questionable research practices, can produce statistically significant results that are not actually meaningful.
Flawed study designs and "publication bias", favoring confirmatory results, are additional concerns.
Replications of psychological studies in the mid-2010s showed that fewer than half of the original findings were reproduced, suggesting the possibility of false positives.
The field of psychology is not alone in facing concerns about methodological rigor; cancer research and economics have experienced similar challenges.

Replication Crisis in Psychology

The replication crisis in psychology gained prominence around 2010 with the publication of a paper claiming evidence for "precognition."
The inability to consistently replicate these findings spurred a discussion of methodological concerns within the field.

The Impact of Publication Bias

Journals are incentivized to publish interesting and surprising findings, leading to "publication bias", where positive results are more likely to be published than studies showing no effect.
Researchers may manipulate their data analysis to achieve statistical significance to further their careers, leading to potential biases.

The Scale of the Replication Crisis

A 2015 study found that fewer than 40 percent of 97 attempts to replicate previous psychological research findings were successful.
A 2018 study tested 28 findings from the 1970s to 2014, finding evidence for approximately half of them.
An examination of 21 findings published in top-tier journals showed that two-thirds could be successfully replicated.
These results are not necessarily representative of psychology as a whole; certain areas of the field likely have stronger evidence than others.

Responses to the Replication Crisis

The replication crisis sparked debate within psychology, with some advocating for a complete overhaul of the field's methodology and others downplaying the crisis's significance.
Psychologists advocating for reform have pushed for increased transparency in study planning and data analysis, routine follow-up testing to verify findings, and study designs tailored to scientific questions.

Strategies for Increased Credibility

Psychologists are implementing strategies to ensure greater credibility, including conducting more replications of new findings, using larger sample sizes, and utilizing well-established measures.
Preregistration, where researchers outline their hypothesis and study plan before conducting the study, and Registered Reports, where journals agree to publish transparently planned studies regardless of the results, are other approaches.

The Field's Transformation

The replication crisis led to the emergence of organizations promoting credibility and transparency.
These include the Open Science Collaboration, the Society for the Improvement of Psychological Science, and the Psychological Science Accelerator.

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Description

This quiz explores the questionable research practices in psychology, including flawed study designs and publication bias. It also addresses the replication crisis that has raised concerns over the validity of psychological findings. Test your knowledge on these important issues affecting psychological research.