Article Version of Record

Negative Results in European Psychology Journals

Author(s) / Creator(s)

Vasilev, Martin Rachev

Abstract / Description

Psychologists have long speculated that the research literature is largely dominated by positive findings, but yet there is little data to justify these speculations. The present study investigates the extent to which negative findings exist in the literature by reviewing articles published in five European psychology journals. While no temporal change was observed, the results indicate that almost all (95.4%) articles published in 2001, 2006 and 2011 found support for at least one tested hypothesis. Moreover, a sizable number (73%) of papers found support for all tested hypotheses. It is argued that the lack of negative findings can have a detrimental effect on the ability to systemize scientific knowledge, the way science is practiced, and the rate of replications in psychology. Publishing positive findings may be very important for making progress in our field, but negative findings are also crucial for maintaining its scientific integrity. When we base our conclusions on results that support our predictions and ignore data to the contrary, we run the risk of creating a biased view of reality that gives us little confidence in the validity and applicability of our findings.

Keyword(s)

negative results publication bias file-drawer problem European journals psychological research

Persistent Identifier

Date of first publication

2013-11-29

Journal title

Europe's Journal of Psychology

Volume

9

Issue

4

Page numbers

717–730

Publisher

PsychOpen GOLD

Publication status

publishedVersion

Review status

peerReviewed

Is version of

Citation

Vasilev, M. R. (2013). Negative Results in European Psychology Journals. Europe's Journal of Psychology, 9(4), 717–730. https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v9i4.590
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Vasilev, Martin Rachev
  • PsychArchives acquisition timestamp
    2018-11-21T10:01:18Z
  • Made available on
    2018-11-21T10:01:18Z
  • Date of first publication
    2013-11-29
  • Abstract / Description
    Psychologists have long speculated that the research literature is largely dominated by positive findings, but yet there is little data to justify these speculations. The present study investigates the extent to which negative findings exist in the literature by reviewing articles published in five European psychology journals. While no temporal change was observed, the results indicate that almost all (95.4%) articles published in 2001, 2006 and 2011 found support for at least one tested hypothesis. Moreover, a sizable number (73%) of papers found support for all tested hypotheses. It is argued that the lack of negative findings can have a detrimental effect on the ability to systemize scientific knowledge, the way science is practiced, and the rate of replications in psychology. Publishing positive findings may be very important for making progress in our field, but negative findings are also crucial for maintaining its scientific integrity. When we base our conclusions on results that support our predictions and ignore data to the contrary, we run the risk of creating a biased view of reality that gives us little confidence in the validity and applicability of our findings.
    en_US
  • Publication status
    publishedVersion
  • Review status
    peerReviewed
  • Citation
    Vasilev, M. R. (2013). Negative Results in European Psychology Journals. Europe's Journal of Psychology, 9(4), 717–730. https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v9i4.590
  • ISSN
    1841-0413
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/1215
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.1407
  • Language of content
    eng
  • Publisher
    PsychOpen GOLD
  • Is version of
    https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v9i4.590
  • Keyword(s)
    negative results
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    publication bias
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    file-drawer problem
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    European journals
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    psychological research
    en_US
  • Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)
    150
  • Title
    Negative Results in European Psychology Journals
    en_US
  • DRO type
    article
  • Issue
    4
  • Journal title
    Europe's Journal of Psychology
  • Page numbers
    717–730
  • Volume
    9
  • Visible tag(s)
    Version of Record