Exploring the Limits of Research: Balancing Confirmatory and Exploratory Approaches

In this episode we discuss exploratory experimentation, an iterative process used by scientists to better understand phenomena. We ask why exploratory research seems to be valued less in science, the importance of lab notebooks, and what makes for a good exploratory study.

References:

Steinle, F. (2016). Exploratory experiments: Ampère, Faraday, and the origins of electrodynamics. University of Pittsburgh press.

Skinner, B. F. (1956). A case history in scientific method. American Psychologist, 11(5), 221–233.

Popper, K. R. (1962). Conjectures and refutations: The growth of scientific knowledge. Routledge.

Ditroilo, M., Mesquida ,Cristian, Abt ,Grant, & and Lakens, D. (2025). Exploratory research in sport and exercise science: Perceptions, challenges, and recommendations. Journal of Sports Sciences, 43(12), 1108–1120. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2025.2486871

Paul Meehl's Philosophical Psychology Lectures: https://meehl.umn.edu/video

Höfler, M., Scherbaum, S., Kanske, P., McDonald, B., & Miller, R. (2022). Means to valuable exploration: I. The blending of confirmation and exploration and how to resolve it. Meta-Psychology, 6. https://doi.org/10.15626/MP.2021.2837