Nullius in Verba Episode 69: Fraus P-Valoris - II
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Oct 31, 2025 Dive into the intriguing world of p-hacking! Discover how naming this practice raised awareness about replication failures in research. The conversation explores whether public accusations have driven positive changes in research norms. Challenges of interpreting p-value distributions and biases affecting publication incentives are dissected. The hosts suggest that transparency and pre-registration could combat p-hacking. They also discuss the role of compelling storytelling in shaping research outcomes, emphasizing the need for integrity in scientific pursuits.
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Naming Sparked A Replication Awakening
- The term 'p-hacking' created a shared explanation for failures to replicate and focused collective attention.
- That naming sparked rapid change in practices and awareness across psychology.
Social Media Fueled Accusations And Hurt
- Smriti and Daniël recall how accusations of p-hacking played out on social media and caused distress.
- Many researchers felt attacked even when awareness and behavior change followed.
P-Value Trends Are Hard To Interpret
- Declines in near-threshold p-values are hard to interpret because larger sample sizes and other shifts also change distributions.
- Measuring p-hacking trends requires careful methods beyond simple p-bin comparisons.