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Better Understanding the Population Size and Stigmatization of Psychologists Using Questionable Research Practices
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Description: There has been low confidence in the replicability and reproducibility of published psychological findings. Previous work has demonstrated that a population of psychologists exists that have used questionable research practices (QRPs), or behaviors during data collection, analysis, and publication that can increase the number of false-positive findings in the scientific literature. The present work sought to estimate the current size of the QRP using population of American psychologists and to identify if this sub-population of scientists is stigmatized. Using a direct estimator, we estimate 18.8% of American psychologists have used at least one QRP in the past 12 months. This estimate rises to 24.40% when using the generalized network scale up estimator, an estimating method that utilizes the academic social networks of participants. Furthermore, attitudes of psychologists towards QRP users, and observed behavioral data collected from self-reported QRP users suggest that QRP users are a stigmatized sub-population of psychologists. Together, these findings provide better insight into how many psychologists use questionable practices and how they exist in the social environment.