Better Hypothesis Tests in Psychology: Reducing Bias and Aligning Tests with Research Questions
Anne Scheel defended her dissertation on May 7th, focusing on improving hypothesis tests in psychology by reducing bias and better aligning methods with research questions
On May 7th, Anne Scheel from the Human-Technology Interaction (HTI) research group at Eindhoven University of Technology defended her dissertation titled ‘Towards Better Hypothesis Tests in Psychology - Reducing Bias and Aligning Tests with Research Questions’.
Skewed Perspective
In psychology, and many other scientific disciplines, there is a preference for publishing positive results. This can lead to so-called 'questionable research practices', where researchers only report favorable results or adjust their hypotheses after the fact to explain unexpected findings. This creates a skewed scientific record, which can mislead researchers and practitioners by presenting false hypotheses as well-supported and small effects as large and important.
Alternative Publication Format
One of the main challenges Scheel addresses is publication bias: Studies with negative results often go unpublished because they are considered less interesting. Scheel's research shows that Registered Reports, an alternative publication format where researchers submit their hypotheses and methods for peer review before data collection, can reduce this bias. In her analysis, Scheel found that only 44% of Registered Reports reported positive results, compared to 96% in standard reports. This suggests that Registered Reports indeed lead to a greater publication of negative results.
More Reliable Results
For entrepreneurs and society, this means that the results of psychological research can become more reliable and less biased. This is crucial for developing effective interventions and policies based on scientific research. For example, in healthcare, more reliable research results can lead to better treatment methods and prevention strategies. In business, they can help develop products and services that better meet the needs and behaviors of consumers.
Anne Scheel defended her thesis on May 7th. Title of the thesis: ‘’. Supervisors: Daniël Lakens and Chris Snijders.