Aftermath of the Stapel case: More alarming data, the beggining of change? Cover Image

Postscriptum do oszustwa Stapela: niepokojące dane, początek zmian?
Aftermath of the Stapel case: More alarming data, the beggining of change?

Author(s): Łukasz Budzicz
Subject(s): Social Sciences, Psychology
Published by: Wydawnictwo Naukowe Scholar Sp. z o.o.
Keywords: Stapel's fraud; reliability of data in psychology; false-positive psychology; statistical power

Summary/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 Stapel’s 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.

  • Issue Year: X/2015
  • Issue No: 35
  • Page Range: 419-434
  • Page Count: 15
  • Language: Polish