Lesson 1305 of 1570
Why Half the Psychology Studies You Cite Don't Replicate
The famous 'marshmallow test' didn't replicate. Neither did power posing. AI helps you check whether a study has held up — before you build an essay around it.
Lesson map
What this lesson covers
Learning path
The main moves in order
- 1The big idea
- 2replication crisis
- 3p-hacking
- 4meta-analysis
Concept cluster
Terms to connect while reading
Section 1
The big idea
Many famous psychology and social-science studies failed when others tried to repeat them — the 'replication crisis.' Citing a study that hasn't replicated makes your essay weaker, not stronger. AI can help you find the meta-analysis or replication paper, which is the actual current state of the evidence.
Some examples
- The Stanford Marshmallow Test (1972): the famous 'kids who delay gratification do better in life' finding was largely explained by family income in 2018 replications.
- Amy Cuddy's Power Posing (2010): the 'stand in a Wonder Woman pose for 2 minutes and your hormones change' finding has not replicated.
- Replication studies are catalogued at the Open Science Framework (osf.io) and at psychfiledrawer.org — AI can find them if you ask.
- Prompt Claude: 'Has [specific study] been successfully replicated? Cite any meta-analysis or replication attempt.' Then verify what it cites.
Try it!
Pick a famous study you've heard about (marshmallow test, Stanford Prison Experiment, Milgram). Search Google Scholar for 'replication of [study name]' and read what came back. The story is almost never what your textbook said.
Key terms in this lesson
End-of-lesson quiz
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