Clearer Thinking with Spencer Greenberg Social Science and Science Journalism (with Jesse Singal)
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Apr 7, 2021 
Jesse Singal, a contributing writer for New York Magazine and co-host of Blocked and Reported, dives deep into the trustworthiness of social science research. He discusses the open science movement, the challenges of the replicability crisis, and the limitations of tools like the Implicit Association Test. Singal critiques popular psychological quick fixes and emphasizes the importance of transparency in research. He also highlights the need for systemic solutions over individual interventions when tackling societal issues like inequality and racial bias.
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Changing Scientific Norms
- Jesse Singal advocates for changes in scientific norms, like pre-registration and valuing null results.
- He envisions a future where demonstrating the falsehood of an idea is as impactful as proving it.
File Drawer Effect and Bias
- The file drawer effect creates bias in research literature by favoring published positive results while neglecting unpublished null findings.
- This can lead to inaccurate conclusions when researchers aggregate results without considering the missing negative data.
Handling Null Results
- Submit null results to a simple database instead of full publication, except when contradicting widely held beliefs.
- Focus on publishing null results in journals only when challenging established findings, maximizing impact.
