Mar 19, 2014

If You Have Data, Use It When Theorizing

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There is a reason data collection is part of the empirical cycle. If you have a good theory that allows for what Platt (1964) called ‘strong inferences’, then statistical inferences from empirical data can be used to test theoretical predictions. In psychology, as in most sciences, this testing is not done in a Popperian fashion (where we consider a theory falsified if the data does not support our prediction), but we test ideas in Lakatosian lines of research, which can either be progressive or degenerative (e.g., Meehl, 1990). In (meta-scientific) theory, we judge (scientific) theories based on whether they have something going for them.

In scientific practice, this means we need to evaluate research lines. One really flawed way to do this is to use ‘vote-counting’ procedures, where you examine the literature, and say: "Look at all these significant findings! And there are almost no non-significant findings! This theory is the best!” Read Borenstein, Hedges, Higgins, & Rothstein (2006) who explain “Why Vote-Counting Is Wrong” (p. 252 – but read the rest of the book while you’re at it).

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