When Null Hypothesis Significance Testing Is Unsuitable for Research: A Reassessment.

ABSTRACT: Null hypothesis significance testing (NHST) has several shortcomings that are likely contributing factors behind the widely debated replication crisis of (cognitive) neuroscience, psychology, and biomedical science in general. We review these shortcomings and suggest that, after sustained negative experience, NHST should no longer be the default, dominant statistical practice of all biomedical and psychological research. If theoretical predictions are weak we should not rely on all or nothing hypothesis tests. Different inferential methods may be most suitable for different types of research questions. Whenever researchers use NHST they should justify its use, and publish pre-study power calculations and effect sizes, including negative findings. Hypothesis-testing studies should be pre-re

SUBMITTER: Szucs D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5540883 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature