TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2011//
TI  - False-positive psychology: undisclosed flexibility in data collection and analysis allows presenting anything as significant
JO  - Psychological science
A1  - Simmons, Joseph P.
A1  - Nelson, Leif D.
A1  - Simonsohn, Uri
SP  - 1359
EP  - 1366
VL  - 22
IS  - 11
N2  - In this article, we accomplish two things. First, we show that despite empirical psychologists' nominal endorsement of a low rate of false-positive findings (≤ .05), flexibility in data collection, analysis, and reporting dramatically increases actual false-positive rates. In many cases, a researcher is more likely to falsely find evidence that an effect exists than to correctly find evidence that it does not. We present computer simulations and a pair of actual experiments that demonstrate how unacceptably easy it is to accumulate (and report) statistically significant evidence for a false hypothesis. Second, we suggest a simple, low-cost, and straightforwardly effective disclosure-based solution to this problem. The solution involves six concrete requirements for authors and four guidelines for reviewers, all of which impose a minimal burden on the publication process.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0956-7976
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0956797611417632
ID  - ref1
ER  -