Łukasz Budzicz
Instytut Psychologii, Uniwersytet im. Adama Mickiewicza
Abstract:
This article adds to the discussion that took place in Psychologia Społeczna (no. 3/2012) concerning the reliability of research findings in social psychology. In recent years a number of new data indicated that Stapels fraud might not have been an isolated case, but a symptom of a larger crisis. Even if most researchers do not fabricate data, subtle falsification involving arbitrary data processing and selective presentation of results may be relatively frequent and lead to a distorted picture of reality. Especially telling in this context are analyses, that show improbable distributions of p-values (p-curve analysis), distortions in reporting p-values, and very low cumulative statistical power of research studies. This article presents the most important voices about how to change research and publication practices. Described were examples where such changes have already been initiated.
Keywords: Stapel’s fraud, reliability of data in psychology, false-positive psychology, statistical power
Cite this article as:
Budzicz, Ł. (2015). Aftermath of the Stapel case: more alarming data, the beggining of change? Psychologia Społeczna, 35, 419–434. doi: 10.7366/1896180020153505