SPP 2317: A Meta-scientific Programme to Analyse and Optimise Replicability in the Behavioural, Social, and Cognitive Sciences (META-REP)

Basic data for this project

Description

The behavioral, social, and cognitive sciences are in the midst of an intensive debate about the replicability of their empirical findings. Shaken by the results of many replication projects that have been conducted in recent years, scholars have begun discussing (1) what replicability actually means and when a replication can be regarded as successful vs. failed; (2) whether low replication rates are due to too many false positive findings in the literature, to methodological weaknesses in the replication studies, or to the underappreciated influence of contextual effects, and (3) what can be done to effectively and sustainably secure a high level of replicability in the behavioral, social, and cognitive sciences. So far, most of these discussions have been based on ad-hoc arguments. Thus, a concerted, integrative, and interdisciplinary meta-scientific research program is needed to systematically scrutinize these arguments. “META-REP” is such a program. Projects joining “META-REP” will contribute to the emerging field of replication science. More specifically, projects will (1) define, operationalize, and assess replicability and replication success (vs. failure) in their respective field precisely and validly (the “what” question); (2) comprehensively explain why replication rates vary across and within scientific fields (the “why” question); and (3) evaluate and optimize the effectiveness and suitability of potential strategies aimed at increasing or maintaining replication rates in different fields (the “how” question). The results from this program will be relevant for all sciences that are discussing issues of replicability. On a broader level, this program will enrich the public discourse about the credibility, the value, and the usefulness of science in general.