Replications in the social sciences: New study confirms ongoing challenges

Much has been said on the importance of replications. Recently, nature has published another comment that deals with this question. Paul Gertler, Sebastian Galiani and Mauricio Romero (GGR) conducted a survey, in which they focussed on the fields of economics, political science, sociology and psychology. They conclude that ‘the current system makes original authors and replicators antagonists.’

They found, that in the top-tier economics journals only few articles are replications – and all of those refute the original results. That said, GGR also asked 35 editors and co-editors of these economics journals about their perceptions towards publishing replications. While all editors who responded would publish a study that refutes the original findings, only a fourth can image to publish a study which confirms the original results. Read the rest of this entry »