A Call for Greater Modesty in Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience
OPEN ACCESS
Author / Producer
Date
2021
Publication Type
Journal Article
ETH Bibliography
no
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OPEN ACCESS
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Abstract
Exaggerated claims and low levels of reproducibility are commonplace in psychology and
cognitive neuroscience, due to an incentive structure that demands “newsworthy” results.
My overall argument here is that in addition to methodological reform, greater modesty is
required across all levels - from individual researchers to the systems that govern science
(e.g., editors, reviewers, grant panels, hiring committees) - to redirect expectations
regarding what psychological and brain science can effectively deliver. Empirical work and
the reform agenda should pivot away from making big claims on narrow evidence bases or
single tools and focus on the limitations of our individual efforts, as well as how we can
work together to build ways of thinking that enable integration and synthesis across
multiple modalities and levels of description. I outline why modesty matters for science
including the reform agenda, provide some practical steps that we can take to embrace
modesty, rebut common misconceptions of what modesty means for science, and present
some limitations of the approach. Ultimately, by presenting a more sober view of our
capacities and achievements, whilst placing work within a wider context that respects the
complexity of the human brain, we will bolster the fidelity of scientific inference and thus
help in a small way to generate a firmer footing upon which to build a cumulative science.
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Publication status
published
External links
Editor
Book title
Journal / series
Volume
7 (1)
Pages / Article No.
24091
Publisher
University of California Press
Event
Edition / version
Methods
Software
Geographic location
Date collected
Date created
Subject
Open science; Credibility revolution; Methodological reform; Reproducibility; Psychology; Cognitive neuroscience; Modesty; Intellectural humility
Organisational unit
09800 - Cross, Emily S. / Cross, Emily S.