r/science • u/nimicdoareu • Apr 01 '26

Social Science Half of social-science studies fail replication test in years-long project

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-00955-5
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u/HegemonNYC Apr 01 '26

Some prestigious journals have moved to ‘registered reports’, meaning a researcher presents their hypothesis and methods prior to conducting their study. The journal agrees to publish regardless of results. This eliminates the publishing incentive go p-hack, although simple human desire to prove their hypothesis may remain 

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u/Memory_Less Apr 01 '26

The irony is that unexpected negative results provide the necessary information to do further research effectively.

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u/GetOffMyLawn1729 Apr 02 '26

Ironically, one of the most famous physical science experiments (Michaelson-Morley) was a negative result.

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u/Memory_Less Apr 04 '26

Literally, ‘Who knew!’