This authoritative volume presents a detailed analysis of the replication crisis and the use of questionable research practices (QRPs) in psychology, as well as recommended practices for combatting these problems. Ultimately, the book aims to provide a comprehensive, current, and accessible account of the adverse effects of QRPs.
The replication crisis in psychology and allied fields has exposed critical flaws in the standard views of research methods, which allow for extensive flexibility in data analysis by investigators and permit the widespread use of QRPs. Chapters examine the intentional use of QRPs such as data fabrication and falsification, along with subtler, unintentional practices such as p-hacking and HARKING (hypothesizing after results are known). Drawing on the growing awareness of these problems, contributors also highlight potential strategies to detect QRPs and minimize their negative impact through open data practices, preregistration of hypotheses and analyses, and adversarial collaborations, in which investigators holding opposing positions on a scientific issue agree to work together on a study in an effort to counteract their respective biases.
Among the topics covered:
- History of controversies in statistics and replication
- Embracing intellectual humility while designing research
- Confirmatory vs. exploratory analyses
- Publication bias and negative results
- Promoting honest and transparent report writing
Avoiding Questionable Research Practices in Applied Psychology provides a deeper understanding of how QRPs impede the reliability and trustworthiness of findings in psychology and the social sciences. It will be a practical, useful resource for students and instructors in graduate and advanced undergraduate level research methods classes, along with psychological researchers interested in improving their own research.
William O’Donohue, Ph.D., is a Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Nevada, Reno. He has published research on evidence-based practice in behavioral health, focusing on cognitive behavior therapy. Dr. O'Donohue has published more than 80 books and 300 journal articles and book chapters. He has served as Principle Investigator on a number of grants that have focused on the transfer of technology to practice, including a grant investigating transferring integrated care to a variety of medical settings in Hawaii.
Akihiko Masuda, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. His primary areas of interest include philosophy of science, acceptance- and mindfulness-based behavioral therapies, diversity, and Zen Buddhism. He is the author of more than 80 peer-reviewed papers and 30 book chapters. He is the editor of the book, Mindfulness and Acceptance in Multicultural Competency (New Harbinger, 2014) and the co-editor of the book, Handbook of Zen, Mindfulness, and Behavioral Health (Springer, 2017).
Scott Lilienfeld, Ph.D., is Samuel Candler Dobbs Professor of Psychology at Emory University. He is also a visiting fellow at the University of Melbourne in Australia. Dr. Lilienfeld is Editor-in-Chief of the APS journal Clinical Psychological Science and Associate Editor of the APA journal Archives of Scientific Psychology. He also sits on the editorial boards of several journals, including American Psychologist. He is recent past president of the Society for a Science of Clinical Psychology (Section 3 of APA Division 12) and the Society for the Scientific Study of Psychopathy. He is a Fellow of, and Executive Board Member of, the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and a Consulting Editor for Skeptical Inquirer magazine. He is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Heterodox Academy. According to the Google Scholar, he has over 800 publications with the h-index of 89.
