2026-06-08 –, AUDITORIUM
The integrity of psychological science hinges on rigorous and transparent measurement. We evaluated a fundamental psycholinguistic research practice—the creation of large-scale databases that measure people's subjective experience with words (such as 'familiarity')—by critically reviewing approximately 60 studies. Preliminary analyses revealed systemic issues that undermine cumulative science: pervasive conceptual ambiguity (conflating ‘familiarity’ with ‘subjective frequency’), critical lapses in transparency (e.g., lacked data cleaning details), and profound barriers to data reuse and generalizability (over 80% WEIRD samples).
In direct response, this project provides an evidence-based roadmap for reform. Moving beyond critique, we offer actionable guidelines to improve research practices, advocating for: 1) standardized terminology to enhance conceptual clarity and reproducibility; 2) mandated Open Science practices for data, materials, and methods; and 3) strategic sampling to improve generalizability. This work provides a template for field-specific methodological reform, directly contributing to a more robust and trustworthy science.
Erin M. Buchanan, Irene Di Pietro, Giada Viviani, Ettore Ambrosini
Could you give us a rough idea of what your lightning talk / poster presentation will cover? Such as:: A brief presentation of past research (a completed study)