In other cases, scientists may want to replicate the experiment to further demonstrate the results.
It’s an important part of the research process that strengthens our understanding of human behavior.
Exact replication is not always possible.
Thomas Barwick / Stone / Getty Images
Human behavior can be inconsistent and difficult to study.
Even when researchers are cautious about their methods, extraneous variables can still create bias and affect results.
That’s why replication is so essential in psychology.
It strengthens findings, helps detect potential problems, and improves our understanding of human behavior.
How Do Scientists Replicate an Experiment?
Whenconducting a study or experiment, it is essential to have clearly defined operational definitions.
In other words, what is the study attempting to measure?
The steps involved in replicating a psychology experiment often include the following:
What If Replication Fails?
So what happens if the original results cannot be reproduced?
Researchers might strive to perfectly reproduce the original study, but variations are expected and often impossible to avoid.
Are the Results of Psychology Experiments Hard to Replicate?
The results were less than stellar.
Of the 100 experiments in question, 61% could not be replicated with the original results.
Of the original studies, 97% of the findings were deemed statistically significant.
Only 36% of the replicated studies were able to obtain statistically significant results.
As one might expect, these dismal findings caused quite a stir.
You may have heard this referred to as the “‘replication crisis’ in psychology.
Similar replication attempts have produced similar results.
Another study published in 2018 replicated 21 social and behavioral science studies.
The American Psychological Association suggests that the problem stems partly from the research culture.
In fact, one investigation found that replication rates are much higher when original researchers are involved.
Human thought and behavior is a remarkably subtle and ever-changing subject to study.
In other words, it’s normal and expected for variations to exist when observing diverse populations and participants.
The APA notes that replication research represents a great opportunity for students.
it can help strengthen research skills and contribute to science in a meaningful way.
Nosek BA, Errington TM.What is replication?PLoS Biol.
2020;18(3):e3000691.
doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.3000691
Burger JM.Replicating Milgram: Would people still obey today?Am Psychol.
Kahneman D.A new etiquette for replication.Social Psychology.2014;45(4):310-311.
