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Episode 8: Can we trust psychological studies?

We speak to Brian Earp about how to respond when we're told repeatedly that the veracity of eye-catching findings, or even cherished theories, has come under scrutiny.

07 November 2016

By PsychCrunch

This is Episode 8 of PsychCrunch, the podcast from the British Psychological Society's Research Digest, sponsored by Routledge Psychology.

Can we trust psychological studies? We speak to Brian Earp, of Oxford University and Yale University, about how to respond when we're told repeatedly that the veracity of eye-catching findings, or even cherished theories, has come under scrutiny. Brian also talks about his own experience of publishing a failed replication attempt – a must-listen for any  researchers who are fearful of publishing their own negative findings. Find Brian on Twitter @BrianDavidEarp

Studies discussed:

Assessing the Robustness of Power Posing

See also Dana Carney statement on power posing (pdf) and Amy Cuddy's response.

A Multi-Lab Pre-Registered Replication of the Ego-Depletion Paradigm

A Multilab Direct Replication of Study 1 From Strack, Martin, & Stepper (1988)

Out, damned spot: Can the “Macbeth Effect” be replicated?

Commentary pieces by Brian Earp:

A tragedy of the (academic) commons: interpreting the replication crisis in psychology as a social dilemma for early-career researchers

What did the OSC replication initiative reveal about the crisis in psychology? An open review of the draft paper entitled "Replication initiatives will not salvage the trustworthiness of psychology" by James C. Coyne

Replication, falsification, and the crisis of confidence in social psychology

Episode credits

Presented and produced by Christian Jarrett.

Mixing and editing Jeff Knowler.

PsychCrunch theme music Catherine Loveday and Jeff Knowler.

Additional music Legrand Jones (via Pond5).

Art work Tim Grimshaw.