Publications
Note: I am rebuilding my website; pre-prints currently are missing in the list.
The buttons with small symbols for open access 
, open data 
, preregistration 
, and open material 
provide direct links to the sources. Not all of these badges have been officially awarded by the publishing journal (many journals have not implemented the badges yet, and some discarded them again).
The cards to the right provide a Haiku Summary for each publication (an idea I took from John Helveston and Andrew Heiss).
2025
Humberg S, Schönbrodt F & Nestler S (2025). Psychological Methods. https://doi.org/10.1037/met0000743
Equivalence tests set free -
Truth in gentle slopes
Abstract
Many psychological theories imply that the degree of congruence between two variables (e.g., self-rated and objectively measured intelligence) is related to some psychological outcome (e.g., life satisfaction). Such congruence hypotheses can be tested with response surface analysis (RSA), in which a second-order polynomial regression model is estimated and suitably interpreted. Whereas several strategies exist for this interpretation, they all contain rationales that diminish the probability of drawing correct conclusions. For example, a frequently applied strategy involves calculating six auxiliary parameters from the estimated regression weights and accepting the congruence hypothesis if they satisfy certain conditions. In testing the conditions, a nonsignificant null-hypothesis test of some parameters is taken as evidence that the parameter is zero. This interpretation is formally inadmissible and adversely affects the probability of making correct decisions about the congruence hypothesis. We address this limitation of the six-parameter strategy and other RSA strategies by proposing that statistical equivalence testing (SET) be integrated into RSA. We compare the existing and new RSA strategies with a simulation study and find that the SET strategies are sensible alternatives to the existing strategies. We provide code templates for implementing the SET strategies. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).
2024
Zygar‐Hoffmann C, Hagemeyer B & Schönbrodt F (2024). Motivation Science. https://doi.org/10.1037/mot0000344
Motivations ebb and flow -
Inner drives unfold
Abstract
Individuals vary in their dispositional motives, which are expected to manifest in a different intensity of motivational states experienced on a momentary level.In two preregistered experience sampling studies (N = 130, N = 508) involving partners of intimate relationships, we investigated whether implicit and explicit agency motives were associated with average levels of experienced motivational states in everyday life.Whereas Study 1 did not show the predicted associations, it prompted a closer examination of the power and independence components of agency.Study 2 confirmed absolute and incremental effects of implicit and explicit motives in predicting motivational states, when outcomes were assessed on the broad level of agency, and on the specific level of independence.For the specific level of power, explicit but not implicit motives predicted average levels of motivational states.We conclude that self-reported agentic motivational states may reflect both implicit and explicit motives and that a differentiation of agency may be warranted for certain research questions.
Etzel F, Seyffert-Müller A, Schönbrodt F, Kreuzer L, Gärtner A, Knischewski P & Leising D (2024). NA. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/4w7rb
Raters' consensus achieved -
Science's steady hand
Abstract
Given the apparent validity deficiencies of many well-established metrics of research productivity (such as h-indices and journal impact factors), the demand for viable alternatives is growing. This paper presents two empirical studies in which groups of raters (n1 = 3, n2 = 9) assessed the methodological rigor of research papers (k1 = 52, k2 = 110) using detailed catalogs of relatively well-defined quality criteria. The main endpoint in both studies was inter-rater reliability, which is a necessary prerequisite for any subsequent use of such assessments (e.g., as part of hiring or promotion procedures). Both studies showed that the application of several open science practices (e.g., open data, preregistration) may in fact be assessed with good reliability (Kappa > .60, ICCs > .75), even by raters who received little to no training, and within reasonable amounts of time (M1 = 21.7, M2 = 40.2 minutes on average). When aggregated across indicators, inter-rater reliability for this type of assessment was good to excellent (Study 1: ICC(1, 1) = .91, Study 2: ICC(1,1) = .74). A subsample of papers in Study 2 was drawn randomly from the recent literature (2020-2022) and showed that typical papers in contemporary psychology still espouse very low methodological rigor. Study 2 also showed that criteria related to consensus-building do not yet espouse sufficient reliability. Standard criterion sets for assessing the methodological rigor of empirical research should be used more widely in evaluating submissions to scientific journals, as well as published research (e.g., in evaluating the research productivity of individuals, groups or institutions). Such evaluations will be also facilitated by establishing clearer and more widely-adopted reporting standards.
Gärtner A, Leising D & Schönbrodt F (2024). PLoS Biology. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3002553
Quality's gentle ascent -
Science's subtle dance
Abstract
Researchers would be more willing to prioritize research quality over quantity if the incentive structure of the academic system aligned with this goal. The winner of a 2023 Einstein Foundation Award for Promoting Quality in Research explains how they rose to this challenge.
2023
Brembs B, Huneman P, Schönbrodt F, Nilsonne G, Susi T, Siems R, Perakakis P, Trachana V, Ma L & Rodríguez‐Cuadrado S (2023). Royal Society Open Science. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.230206
Decentralized, free from grasp -
Knowledge's open market
Abstract
Replacing traditional journals with a more modern solution is not a new idea. Here, we propose ways to overcome the social dilemma underlying the decades of inaction. Any solution needs to not only resolve the current problems but also be capable of preventing takeover by corporations: it needs to replace traditional journals with a decentralized, resilient, evolvable network that is interconnected by open standards and open-source norms under the governance of the scholarly community. It needs to replace the monopolies connected to journals with a genuine, functioning and well-regulated market. In this new market, substitutable service providers compete and innovate according to the conditions of the scholarly community, avoiding sustained vendor lock-in. Therefore, a standards body needs to form under the governance of the scholarly community to allow the development of open scholarly infrastructures servicing the entire research workflow. We propose a redirection of money from legacy publishers to the new network by funding bodies broadening their minimal infrastructure requirements at recipient institutions to include modern infrastructure components replacing and complementing journal functionalities. Such updated eligibility criteria by funding agencies would help realign the financial incentives for recipient institutions with public and scholarly interest.
Gärtner A, Leising D & Schönbrodt F (2023). Psychologische Rundschau. https://doi.org/10.1026/0033-3042/a000630
Quality over mere scores -
Science's gentle art
Abstract
Zusammenfassung: Traditionelle metrische Indikatoren für wissenschaftliche Produktivität (z. B. Impact-Faktoren von Zeitschriften, h-Index) werden kritisiert, weil (a) empirische Studien ihre Validität in Frage stellen und sie (b) eine Kultur zu fördern scheinen, die der reinen Quantität Vorrang gegenüber der inhaltlichen Qualität der Forschung gibt. Der Ruf nach spezifischen, besseren Alternativen zu den derzeit gängigen Leistungsindikatoren wird immer lauter. Die Deutsche Gesellschaft für Psychologie hat nach der Unterzeichnung von DORA und dem Beitritt zu CoARA eine Arbeitsgruppe mit der Frage befasst, wie eine verantwortungsvollere Form der Forschungsbewertung für die Psychologie aussehen könnte. Über den aktuellen Stand dieser Überlegungen berichten wir hier: Konkret schlagen wir ein zweistufiges Bewertungsverfahren vor, das die Objektivität und Effizienz metrischer Indikatoren (Phase 1) mit einer vertieften, diskursiven Bewertung spezifischer Forschungsinhalte verbindet (Phase 2) verbindet. Wir plädieren für eine Ausweitung des Spektrums relevanter Forschungsbeiträge und schlagen Qualitätskriterien für Forschungsartikel, Datensätze und Forschungssoftware vor, welche vor allem deren methodische Stringenz erfassen. Anhand dieser Kriterien wird in der ersten Phase des Bewertungsprozesses ermittelt, ob eine Mindestschwelle für methodische Stringenz erreicht wird, die Kandidat:innen erfüllen müssen, um für eine Einstellung oder Beförderung in Frage zu kommen. Im Gegensatz dazu sollen in der zweiten Phase des Beurteilungsprozesses Metriken keine Rolle mehr spielen, sondern die spezifischen Inhalte der Forschungsarbeiten der Kandidat:innen im Fokus einer vertieften Diskussion stehen. Wir stellen konkrete Erhebungsinstrumente bereit, die zum Teil bereits in der Praxis erprobt wurden. Unser Ziel ist es, eine breite Diskussion über das Thema anzuregen und letztlich dazu beizutragen, dass die Bedeutung der wissenschaftlichen Qualität im Rahmen von Berufungsverfahren spürbar gestärkt wird.
Klau S, Felix F, Patel C, Ioannidis J, Boulesteix A & Hoffmann S (2023). Meta-Psychology. https://doi.org/10.15626/mp.2020.2556
Vibration in each choice made -
Truth in fragile dance
Abstract
Researchers have great flexibility in the analysis of observational data. If combined with selective reporting and pressure to publish, this flexibility can have devastating consequences on the validity of research findings. We extend the recently proposed vibration of effects approach to provide a framework comparing three main sources of uncertainty which lead to instability in empirical findings, namely data pre-processing, model, and sampling uncertainty. We analyze the behavior of these sources for varying sample sizes for two associations in personality psychology. Through the joint investigation of model and data pre-processing vibration, we can compare the relative impact of these two types of uncertainty and identify the most influential analytical choices. While all types of vibration show a decrease for increasing sample sizes, data pre-processing and model vibration remain non-negligible, even for a sample of over 80000 participants. The increasing availability of large data sets that are not initially recorded for research purposes can make data pre-processing and model choices very influential. We therefore recommend the framework as a tool for transparent reporting of the stability of research findings.
Etzler S, Schönbrodt F, Pargent F, Eher R & Rettenberger M (2023). Assessment. https://doi.org/10.1177/10731911231164624
Random forests do not lead -
Justice in its math
Abstract
Although many studies supported the use of actuarial risk assessment instruments (ARAIs) because they outperformed unstructured judgments, it remains an ongoing challenge to seek potentials for improvement of their predictive performance. Machine learning (ML) algorithms, like random forests, are able to detect patterns in data useful for prediction purposes without explicitly programming them (e.g., by considering nonlinear effects between risk factors and the criterion). Therefore, the current study aims to compare conventional logistic regression analyses with the random forest algorithm on a sample of
Rahal R, Fiedler S, Adetula A, Berntsson R, Dirnagl U, Feld G, Fiebach C, Himi S, Horner A, Lonsdorf T, Schönbrodt F, Silan M, Wenzler M & Azevedo F (2023). Nature Human Behaviour. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-022-01508-2
Science blooms with gentle care -
Research finds its place
Abstract
NA
Stefan A & Schönbrodt F (2023). Royal Society Open Science. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.220346
Lies hidden in code and data -
Science's subtle flaw
Abstract
In many research fields, the widespread use of questionable research practices has jeopardized the credibility of scientific results. One of the most prominent questionable research practices is p -hacking. Typically, p -hacking is defined as a compound of strategies targeted at rendering non-significant hypothesis testing results significant. However, a comprehensive overview of these p -hacking strategies is missing, and current meta-scientific research often ignores the heterogeneity of strategies. Here, we compile a list of 12 p -hacking strategies based on an extensive literature review, identify factors that control their level of severity, and demonstrate their impact on false-positive rates using simulation studies. We also use our simulation results to evaluate several approaches that have been proposed to mitigate the influence of questionable research practices. Our results show that investigating p -hacking at the level of strategies can provide a better understanding of the process of p -hacking, as well as a broader basis for developing effective countermeasures. By making our analyses available through a Shiny app and R package, we facilitate future meta-scientific research aimed at investigating the ramifications of p -hacking across multiple strategies, and we hope to start a broader discussion about different manifestations of p -hacking in practice.
Kohrt F, Smaldino P, McElreath R & Schönbrodt F (2023). Royal Society Open Science. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.221306
Brief burst of zealotry born -
Science's steady heart
Abstract
This study reports an independent replication of the findings presented by Smaldino and McElreath (Smaldino, McElreath 2016 R. Soc. Open Sci.3, 160384 (doi:10.1098/rsos.160384)). The replication was successful with one exception. We find that selection acting on scientist's propensity for replication frequency caused a brief period of exuberant replication not observed in the original paper due to a coding error. This difference does not, however, change the authors' original conclusions. We call for more replication studies for simulations as unique contributions to scientific quality assurance.
2022
Kirchner‐Häusler A, Schönbrodt F, Üskül A, Vignoles V, Rodríguez‐Bailón R, Castillo V, Cross S, Yalçın M, Harb C, Husnu S, Ishii K, Karamaouna P, Kafetsios K, Kateri E, Matamoros‐Lima J, Miniesy R, Na J, Özkan Z, Pagliaro S, Psaltis C, Rabie D, Teresi M & Uchida Y (2022). Journal of Personality. https://doi.org/10.1111/jopy.12803
Honor guides us through the land -
Well-being's gentle tide
Abstract
People's psychological tendencies are attuned to their sociocultural context and culture-specific ways of being, feeling, and thinking are believed to assist individuals in successfully navigating their environment. Supporting this idea, a stronger "fit" with one's cultural environment has often been linked to positive psychological outcomes. The current research expands the cultural, conceptual, and methodological space of cultural fit research by exploring the link between well-being and honor, a central driver of social behavior in the Mediterranean region.
Schönbrodt F, Gärtner A, Frank M, Gollwitzer M, Ihle M, Mischkowski D, Phan L, Schmitt M, Scheel A, Schubert A, Steinberg U & Leising D (2022). NA. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/rgh5b
Quality over quantity shines -
Science's gentle art
Abstract
The use of journal impact factors and other metric indicators of research productivity, such as the h-index, has been heavily criticized for being invalid for the assessment of individual researchers and for fueling a detrimental “publish or perish” culture. Multiple initiatives call for developing alternatives to existing metrics that better reflect quality (instead of quantity) in research assessment. This report, written by a task force established by the German Psychological Society, proposes how responsible research assessment could be done in the field of psychology. We present four principles of responsible research assessment in hiring and promotion and suggest a two-phase assessment procedure that combines the objectivity and efficiency of indicators with a qualitative, discursive assessment of shortlisted candidates. The main aspects of our proposal are (a) to broaden the range of relevant research contributions to include published data sets and research software, along with research papers, and (b) to place greater emphasis on quality and rigor in research evaluation.
Gärtner A, Leising D, Freyer N, Musfeld P, Lange J & Schönbrodt F (2022). NA. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/5yexm
Quality not just quantity -
Science's gentle slope
Abstract
Traditional metric indicators of scientific productivity (e.g., journal impact factor; h-index) have been heavily criticized for being invalid and fueling a culture that focuses on the quantity, rather than the quality, of a person’s scientific output. There is now a wide-spread demand for viable alternatives to current academic evaluation practices. In a previous report, we laid out four basic principles of a more responsible research assessment in academic hiring and promotion processes (Schönbrodt et al., 2024). The present paper offers a specific proposal for how these principles may be implemented in practice: We argue in favor of broadening the range of relevant research contributions and propose a set of concrete quality criteria (including a ready-to-use online tool) for research articles. These criteria are supposed to be used primarily in the first phase of the assessment process. Their function is to help establish a minimum threshold of methodological rigor – including empirical rigor and theoretical rigor – that candidates need to pass in order to be further considered for hiring or promotion. In contrast, the second phase of the assessment process focuses more on the actual content of candidates’ research output and necessarily uses more narrative means of assessment. The debate over ways of replacing current invalid evaluation criteria with ones that relate more closely to scientific quality continues. Its course and outcome will depend on the willingness of researchers to get involved and help shape it.
Blackwell S, Schönbrodt F, Woud M, Wannemüller A, Bektas B, Rodrigues M, Hirdes J, Stumpp M & Margraf J (2022). Psychological Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0033291722003294
Treatment's path accelerates fast -
Mental health's new pace
Abstract
The scale of the global mental health burden indicates the inadequacy not only of current treatment options, but also the pace of the standard treatment development process. The 'leapfrog' trial design is a newly-developed simple Bayesian adaptive trial design with potential to accelerate treatment development. A first leapfrog trial was conducted to provide a demonstration and test feasibility, applying the method to a low-intensity internet-delivered intervention targeting anhedonia.At the start of this online, single-blind leapfrog trial, participants self-reporting depression were randomized to an initial control arm comprising four weeks of weekly questionnaires, or one of two versions of a four-week cognitive training intervention, imagery cognitive bias modification (imagery CBM). Intervention arms were compared to control on an ongoing basis via sequential Bayesian analyses, based on a primary outcome of anhedonia at post-intervention. Results were used to eliminate and replace arms, or to promote them to become the control condition based on pre-specified Bayes factor and sample size thresholds. Two further intervention arms (variants of imagery CBM) were added into the trial as it progressed.N = 188 participants were randomized across the five trial arms. The leapfrog methodology was successfully implemented to identify a 'winning' version of the imagery CBM, i.e. the version most successful in reducing anhedonia, following sequential elimination of the other arms.The study demonstrates feasibility of the leapfrog design and provides a foundation for its adoption as a method to accelerate treatment development in mental health. Registration: clinicaltrials.gov, NCT04791137.
Humberg S, Dufner M, Schönbrodt F, Geukes K, Hutteman R, Zalk M, Denissen J, Nestler S & Back M (2022). Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspp0000428
Suppressors leave no hidden mark -
Truth revealed in data
Abstract
Condition-based regression analysis (CRA) is a statistical method for testing self-enhancement effects. That is, CRA indicates whether, in a set of empirical data, people with higher values on the directed discrepancy self-view S minus reality criterion R (i.e., S-R) tend to have higher values on some outcome variable (e.g., happiness). In a critical comment, Fiedler (2021) claims that CRA yields inaccurate conclusions in data with a suppressor effect. Here, we show that Fiedler's critique is unwarranted. All data that are simulated in his comment show a positive association between S-R and H, which is accurately detected by CRA. By construction, CRA indicates an association between S-R and H only when it is present in the data. In contrast to Fiedler's claim, it also yields valid conclusions when the outcome variable is related only to the self-view or when there is a suppressor effect. Our clarifications provide guidance for evaluating Fiedler's comment, clear up with the common heuristic that suppressor effects are always problematic, and assist readers in fully understanding CRA. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).
Dongen N, Finnemann A, Ron J, Tiokhin L, Wang S, Algermissen J, Altmann E, Chuang L, Dumbravă A, Bahník Š, Fuenderich J, Geiger S, Gerasimova D, Golan A, Herbers J, Jekel M, Lin Y, Moreau D, Oberholzer Y, Peetz H, Rohrer J, Rothers A, Schönbrodt F, Seetahul Y, Szabelska A, Tonge N, Walasek N, Werner M & Borsboom D (2022). NA. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/r5yfz
Models merge to spark insight -
Science's noble art
Abstract
Scientific theories reflect some of humanity's greatest epistemic achievements. The best theories motivate us to search for discoveries, guide us towards successful interventions, and help us to explain and organize knowledge. Such theories require a high degree of specificity, and specifying them requires modeling skills. Unfortunately, in psychological science, theories are often not precise, and psychological scientists often lack the technical skills to formally specify existing theories. This problem raises the question: How can we promote formal theory development in psychology, where there are many content experts but few modelers? In this paper, we discuss one strategy for addressing this issue: a Many Modelers approach. Many Modelers consist of mixed teams of modelers and non-modelers that collaborate to create a formal theory of a phenomenon. We report a proof of concept of this approach, which we piloted as a three-hour hackathon at the SIPS 2021 conference. We find that (a) psychologists who have never developed a formal model can become excited about formal modeling and theorizing; (b) a division of labor in formal theorizing could be possible where only one or a few team members possess the prerequisite modeling expertise; and (c) first working prototypes of a theoretical model can be created in a short period of time.
Toelch T & Schönbrodt S (2022). Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research). https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6840403
Data blooms in freedom here -
Science's gentle seed
Abstract
NA
Werner G, Cludius B, Sckopke P, Stefan A, Schönbrodt F & Zygar‐Hoffmann C (2022). Journal of Sleep Research. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.13641
Signal to seek calm within -
Mental balance found
Abstract
Symptoms of insomnia are an important risk factor for the development of mental disorders, especially during stressful life periods such as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. However, up to now, most studies have used cross-sectional data, and the prolonged impact of insomnia symptoms during the pandemic on later mental health remains unclear. Therefore, we investigated insomnia symptoms as a predictor of other aspects of mental health across 6 months, with altogether seven assessments (every 30 days, t0-t6), in a community sample (N = 166-267). Results showed no mean-level increase of insomnia symptoms and/or deterioration of mental health between baseline assessment (t0) and the 6- month follow-up (t6). As preregistered, higher insomnia symptoms (between persons) across all time points predicted reduced mental health at the 6-month follow-up. Interestingly, contrary to our hypothesis, higher insomnia symptoms at 1 month, within each person (i.e., compared to that person's symptoms at other time points), predicted improved rather than reduced aspects of mental health 1 month later. Hence, we replicated the predictive effect of averagely increased insomnia symptoms on impaired later mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, we were surprised that increased insomnia symptoms at 1 month predicted aspects of improved mental health 1 month later. This unexpected effect might be specific for our study population and a consequence of our study design. Overall, increased insomnia symptoms may have served as a signal to engage in, and successfully implement, targeted countermeasures, which led to better short-term mental health in this healthy sample.
Pusch S, Schönbrodt F, Zygar‐Hoffmann C & Hagemeyer B (2022). Frontiers in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.827746
Echoes in our loving hearts -
Love's subtle momentum
Abstract
This article presents an integrative conceptual model of motivational interdependence in couples, the MIC model. Based on theoretical tenets in motivation psychology, personality psychology, and research on interpersonal perception, the MIC model postulates that two partners' motive dispositions fundamentally interact in shaping their individual motivation and behavior. On a functional level, a partner's motivated behavior is conceptualized as an environmental cue that can contribute to an actor's motive expression and satisfaction. However, the partner's motivated behavior is considered to gain this motivational relevance only via the actor's subjective perception. Multilevel analyses of an extensive experience sampling study on partner-related communal motivation ( N = up to 60,803 surveys from 508 individuals nested in 258 couples) supported the MIC model. Participants, particularly those with strong communal motive dispositions, behaved more communally at moments when they perceived their partners to behave more communally. In addition, participants experienced momentary boosts in satisfaction when they behaved more communally and, at the same time, perceived their partners' behavior as similarly communal. Broader implications of the MIC model for research on romantic relationships are discussed.
Leising D, Thielmann I, Glöckner A, Gärtner A & Schönbrodt F (2022). Personality Science. https://doi.org/10.5964/ps.6029
Quality's quiet strength prevails -
Science's gentle wave
Abstract
This target article is part of a theme bundle including open peer commentaries (https://doi.org/10.5964/ps.9227) and a rejoinder by the authors (https://doi.org/10.5964/ps.7961). We point out ten steps that we think will go a long way in improving personality science. The first five steps focus on fostering consensus regarding (1) research goals, (2) terminology, (3) measurement practices, (4) data handling, and (5) the current state of theory and evidence. The other five steps focus on improving the credibility of empirical research, through (6) formal modelling, (7) mandatory pre-registration for confirmatory claims, (8) replication as a routine practice, (9) planning for informative studies (e.g., in terms of statistical power), and (10) making data, analysis scripts, and materials openly available. The current, quantity-based incentive structure in academia clearly stands in the way of implementing many of these practices, resulting in a research literature with sometimes questionable utility and/or integrity. As a solution, we propose a more quality-based reward scheme that explicitly weights published research by its Good Science merits. Scientists need to be increasingly rewarded for doing good work, not just lots of work.
Leising D, Thielmann I, Glöckner A, Gärtner A & Schönbrodt F (2022). Personality Science. https://doi.org/10.5964/ps.7961
Diverse threads weaving truth -
Science's gentle sway
Abstract
We respond to the comments (https://doi.org/10.5964/ps.9227) on our “Ten Steps” paper (https://doi.org/10.5964/ps.6029), focusing on the most prominent themes: (1) What motivates scientists?, (2) Consensus-building (Is our field ready? May there be adverse side-effects? How shall we do it?), (3) How may institutional change be facilitated?, (4) Diversity (of participants, stimuli, methodology, measures, and among researchers), (5) The reliability of our proposed scoring system, and (6) The real-world relevance of personality research. We stand by our call for more concerted consensus-building and offer a few clarifications in this regard. We also issue four specific calls to action to our colleagues in the field: (a) specify legitimate paths to greater consensus, (b) explicate what constitutes good “qualitative” research, (c) help establish a widely used, public domain item database, and (d) determine what the most important contemporary goals of personality research are.
Schönbrodt F, Zygar‐Hoffmann C, Frank M & Gollwitzer M (2022). Psychologische Rundschau. https://doi.org/10.1026/0033-3042/a000590
Learning through direct contact -
Science's gentle touch
Abstract
NA
Heck D, Boehm U, Böing-Messing F, Bürkner P, Derks K, Dienes Z, Fu Q, Gu X, Karimova D, Kiers H, Klugkist I, Kuiper R, Lee M, Leenders R, Leplaa H, Linde M, Ly A, Meijerink-Bosman M, Moerbeek M, Mulder J, Pálfi B, Schönbrodt F, Tendeiro J, Bergh D, Lissa C, Ravenzwaaij D, Vanpaemel W, Wagenmakers E, Williams D, Zondervan‐Zwijnenburg M & Hoijtink H (2022). Psychological Methods. https://doi.org/10.1037/met0000454
Probabilities unfolding slow -
Reason's gentle grasp
Abstract
The last 25 years have shown a steady increase in attention for the Bayes factor as a tool for hypothesis evaluation and model selection.The present review highlights the potential of the Bayes factor in psychological research.We discuss six types of applications: Bayesian evaluation of point null, interval, and informative hypotheses, Bayesian evidence synthesis, Bayesian variable selection and model averaging, and Bayesian evaluation of cognitive models.We elaborate what each application entails, give illustrative examples, and provide an overview of key references and software with links to other applications.The paper is concluded with a discussion of the opportunities and pitfalls of Bayes factor applications and a sketch of corresponding future research lines.
Stefan A, Schönbrodt F, Evans N & Wagenmakers E (2022). Behavior Research Methods. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13428-021-01754-8
Evidence unfolds slowly -
Precision's gentle
Abstract
In a sequential hypothesis test, the analyst checks at multiple steps during data collection whether sufficient evidence has accrued to make a decision about the tested hypotheses. As soon as sufficient information has been obtained, data collection is terminated. Here, we compare two sequential hypothesis testing procedures that have recently been proposed for use in psychological research: Sequential Probability Ratio Test (SPRT; Psychological Methods, 25(2), 206-226, 2020) and the Sequential Bayes Factor Test (SBFT; Psychological Methods, 22(2), 322-339, 2017). We show that although the two methods have different philosophical roots, they share many similarities and can even be mathematically regarded as two instances of an overarching hypothesis testing framework. We demonstrate that the two methods use the same mechanisms for evidence monitoring and error control, and that differences in efficiency between the methods depend on the exact specification of the statistical models involved, as well as on the population truth. Our simulations indicate that when deciding on a sequential design within a unified sequential testing framework, researchers need to balance the needs of test efficiency, robustness against model misspecification, and appropriate uncertainty quantification. We provide guidance for navigating these design decisions based on individual preferences and simulation-based design analyses.
Zygar‐Hoffmann C, Cristoforo L, Wolf L & Schönbrodt F (2022). Collabra Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1525/collabra.38599
Closeness blooms with loving eyes -
Love's gentle, fleeting breeze
Abstract
Relationship closeness is considered an important psychological variable for studying couple relationships, and is often postulated as cause for important relationship outcomes. The current study evaluates four micro-interventions for their suitability to experimentally elicit feelings of closeness towards one’s partner. Using participants’ smartphones, and a combination of experience sampling, event sampling, and ecological momentary interventions, individuals reported for a week on their experiences of closeness before and after completing daily either a neutral task or a task meant to enhance relationship closeness. The closeness tasks included showing physical affection, sharing a childhood memory, looking each other in the eyes for five minutes, and discussing shared life achievements. Results of intention-to-treat analyses on a within-person level showed that closeness increased from pre- to post-measurement on average more strongly on days of any of the four examined closeness conditions than on days of the neutral control conditions. Interindividual variability of this effect was observed, emphasizing the relevance of using within-person designs to evaluate such interventions. Exploratory analyses showed that effect sizes declined across time within the day. This study provides instruments for research on causal effects of closeness in everyday relationship life, and an evidence basis for smartphone-delivered interventions in practitioner settings.
2021
Schönbrodt F, Zygar‐Hoffmann C, Nestler S, Pusch S & Hagemeyer B (2021). Behavior Research Methods. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13428-021-01701-7
Relationships in fleeting -
Variance unfurls
Abstract
Abstract The investigation of within-person process models, often done in experience sampling designs, requires a reliable assessment of within-person change. In this paper, we focus on dyadic intensive longitudinal designs where both partners of a couple are assessed multiple times each day across several days. We introduce a statistical model for variance decomposition based on generalizability theory (extending P. E. Shrout & S. P. Lane, 2012), which can estimate the relative proportion of variability on four hierarchical levels: moments within a day, days, persons, and couples. Based on these variance estimates, four reliability coefficients are derived: between-couples, between-persons, within-persons/between-days, and within-persons/between-moments. We apply the model to two dyadic intensive experience sampling studies ( n 1 = 130 persons, 5 surveys each day for 14 days, ≥ 7508 unique surveys; n 2 = 508 persons, 5 surveys each day for 28 days, ≥ 47764 unique surveys). Five different scales in the domain of motivational processes and relationship quality were assessed with 2 to 5 items: State relationship satisfaction, communal motivation, and agentic motivation; the latter consists of two subscales, namely power and independence motivation. Largest variance components were on the level of persons, moments, couples, and days, where within-day variance was generally larger than between-day variance. Reliabilities ranged from .32 to .76 (couple level), .93 to .98 (person level), .61 to .88 (day level), and .28 to .72 (moment level). Scale intercorrelations reveal differential structures between and within persons, which has consequences for theory building and statistical modeling.
Nosek B, Hardwicke T, Moshontz H, Allard A, Corker K, Dreber A, Fidler F, Hilgard J, Struhl M, Nuijten M, Rohrer J, Romero F, Scheel A, Scherer L, Schönbrodt F & Vazire S (2021). Annual Review of Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-020821-114157
Truth revealed through repetition -
Science's steady pace
Abstract
Replication—an important, uncommon, and misunderstood practice—is gaining appreciation in psychology. Achieving replicability is important for making research progress. If findings are not replicable, then prediction and theory development are stifled. If findings are replicable, then interrogation of their meaning and validity can advance knowledge. Assessing replicability can be productive for generating and testing hypotheses by actively confronting current understandings to identify weaknesses and spur innovation. For psychology, the 2010s might be characterized as a decade of active confrontation. Systematic and multi-site replication projects assessed current understandings and observed surprising failures to replicate many published findings. Replication efforts highlighted sociocultural challenges such as disincentives to conduct replications and a tendency to frame replication as a personal attack rather than a healthy scientific practice, and they raised awareness that replication contributes to self-correction. Nevertheless, innovation in doing and understanding replication and its cousins, reproducibility and robustness, has positioned psychology to improve research practices and accelerate progress.
Israel L, Paukner P, Schiestel L, Diepold K & Schönbrodt F (2021). NA. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/vhmbq
Uniformity sought within -
Personality's sway
Abstract
The Open Library for Affective Videos (OpenLAV) is a new video database for experimental emotion induction. The 188 videos (mean duration: 40 s; range: 12–71 s) have a CC-BY license. Ratings for valence, arousal, several appraisals, and emotion labels were assessed from 434 US-American participants in an online study (on average 70 ratings per video), along with personality traits from the raters (Big 5 personality dimensions and several motive dispositions). The OpenLAV is able to induce a large variety of different emotions, but the videos vary in uniformity of emotion induction. Based on different variability metrics, we recommend videos for the most uniform induction of different emotions. Moreover, the predictive power of personality traits on emotion ratings was analyzed using a machine-learning approach. In contrast to previous research, no effects of personality on the emotional experience were found.
Israel L, Paukner P, Schiestel L, Diepold K & Schönbrodt F (2021). NA. https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.5042
Emotions on full display -
Feelings in print dance
Abstract
This research was funded by a grant of the German Research Foundation to Felix Schonbrodt (DFG SCHO 1334/4-1) and Klaus Diepold (DFG DI 408/10-1).
Leising D, Dshemuchadse M, Schönbrodt F & Scherbaum S (2021). NA. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5126637
Enough is enough, now speak -
Truth to silence dark
Abstract
NA
Leising D, Dshemuchadse M, Schönbrodt F & Scherbaum S (2021). NA. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5126637
Enough is enough, now speak -
Truth to silence dark
Abstract
NA
Hoffmann S, Schönbrodt F, Elsas R, Wilson R, Strasser U & Boulesteix A (2021). Royal Society Open Science. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.201925
Uncertainty's shadow falls -
Truth in many paths
Abstract
For a given research question, there are usually a large variety of possible analysis strategies acceptable according to the scientific standards of the field, and there are concerns that this multiplicity of analysis strategies plays an important role in the non-replicability of research findings. Here, we define a general framework on common sources of uncertainty arising in computational analyses that lead to this multiplicity, and apply this framework within an overview of approaches proposed across disciplines to address the issue. Armed with this framework, and a set of recommendations derived therefrom, researchers will be able to recognize strategies applicable to their field and use them to generate findings more likely to be replicated in future studies, ultimately improving the credibility of the scientific process.
2020
Pusch S, Schönbrodt F, Zygar‐Hoffmann C & Hagemeyer B (2020). Journal of Research in Personality. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2020.104060
Bias in perceiving love's motive -
Love's length is not clear
Abstract
NA
Oberlader V, Quinten L, Banse R, Volbert R, Schmidt A & Schönbrodt F (2020). Applied Cognitive Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.3776
Truth and falsehood, hard to tell -
Credibility's web
Abstract
Summary Content‐based techniques for credibility assessment (Criteria‐Based Content Analysis [CBCA], Reality Monitoring [RM]) have been shown to distinguish between experience‐based and fabricated statements in previous meta‐analyses. New simulations raised the question whether these results are reliable revealing that using meta‐analytic methods on biased datasets lead to false‐positive rates of up to 100%. By assessing the performance of and applying different bias‐correcting meta‐analytic methods on a set of 71 studies we aimed for more precise effect size estimates. According to the sole bias‐correcting meta‐analytic method that performed well under a priori specified boundary conditions, CBCA and RM distinguished between experience‐based and fabricated statements. However, great heterogeneity limited precise point estimation (i.e., moderate to large effects). In contrast, Scientific Content Analysis (SCAN)—another content‐based technique tested—failed to discriminate between truth and lies. It is discussed how the gap between research on and forensic application of content‐based credibility assessment may be narrowed.
Humberg S, Schönbrodt F, Back M & Nestler S (2020). Psychological Methods. https://doi.org/10.1037/met0000352
Asymmetry in harmony -
Congruence's depths found
Abstract
Congruence hypotheses play a major role in many areas of psychology. They refer to, for example, the consequences of person-environment fit, similarity, or self-other agreement. For example, are people psychologically better adjusted when their self-view is in line with their reputation? A valid statistical approach that can be applied to investigate congruence hypotheses of this kind is quadratic Response Surface Analysis (RSA) in which a second-order polynomial model is fit to the data and appropriately interpreted. However, quadratic RSA does not allow researchers to investigate more precise expectations about a congruence effect. Do the data support an asymmetric congruence effect, in the sense that congruence leads to the highest (or lowest) outcome, but incongruence in one direction (e.g., self-view exceeds reputation) affects the outcome differently than incongruence in the other direction (e.g., self-view falls behind reputation)? Is there a level-dependent congruence effect, such that the amount of congruence is more strongly related to the outcome variable for some levels of the predictors (e.g., high self-view and reputation) than for others (e.g., low self-view and reputation)? Such complex congruence hypotheses have frequently been suggested in the literature, but they could not be investigated because an appropriate statistical approach has yet to be developed. Here, we present analytical strategies, based on third-order polynomial models, that enable users to investigate asymmetric and level-dependent congruence effects, respectively. To facilitate the correct application of the suggested approaches, we provide respective step-by-step guidelines, corresponding R syntax, and illustrative analyses using simulated and real data. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).
Gollwitzer M, Abele A, Fiebach C, Ramthun R, Scheel A, Schönbrodt F & Steinberg U (2020). NA. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/hcxtm
Data's fragile threads weaved -
Science's gentle trust
Abstract
Die Bereitstellung von Forschungsdaten im Rahmen von wissenschaftlichen Publikationen und öffentlich geförderten Forschungsprojekten wird heutzutage als ein zentraler Aspekt offener und transparenter Wissenschaftspraxis angesehen und von immer mehr Förderinstitutionen und wissenschaftlichen Fachzeitschriften eingefordert. Forschende sollten sich daher bemühen, die sogenannten FAIR-Prinzipien zu erfüllen, d.h. Forschungsdaten sollten auffindbar, zugänglich, interoperabel und wiederverwendbar sein. Ein systematisches Forschungsdatenmanagement unterstützt diese Ziele und soll es gleichzeitig ermöglichen, diese effizient zu verwirklichen. Mit den vorliegenden überarbeiteten Empfehlungen zum Management und zur Bereitstellung von Forschungsdaten spezifiziert die Deutsche Gesellschaft für Psychologie (DGPs) wichtige grundlegende Prinzipien des Datenmanagements in der Psychologie und greift hierbei auch Rückmeldungen der DGPs-Mitglieder auf, die im Rahmen einer Umfrage aus dem Jahr 2018 gewonnen wurden. In einem ersten Schritt werden auf Basis disziplinspezifischer Definitionen von Roh-, Primär-, Sekundär- und Metadaten Empfehlungen hinsichtlich des Verarbeitungsgrades der im Rahmen einer Datenveröffentlichung bereitzustellenden Daten gegeben. In der Folge werden datenschutz- sowie urheber- und nutzungsrechtliche Aspekte der Datenbereitstellung diskutiert, bevor die qualitativen Anforderungen an vertrauenswürdige Repositorien zur Bereitstellung von Forschungsdaten definiert werden. Ausführlich wird in der Folge auf pragmatische Aspekte der Datenbereitstellung eingegangen, etwa auf die Unterschiede zwischen Datenveröffentlichungen vom Typ 1 und Typ 2, auf Nutzungsembargos, auf die Definition des "scientific use" durch Nachnutzerinnen und -nutzer von veröffentlichten Daten sowie Empfehlungen zum Umgang mit etwaigen Konfliktfällen. Besonders hervorzuheben ist die neue Empfehlung unterschiedlicher Zugriffsklassen für die Bereitstellung von Daten mit unterschiedlichen datenschutzrechtlichen oder forschungsethischen Anforderungen. Diese reichen von komplett offenen Daten ohne Nutzungsbeschränkungen ("Zugriffsklasse 0") über an standardisierte Bedingungen (z.B. die Nachnutzung für rein wissenschaftliche Zwecke) geknüpfte Datenbereitstellung ("Zugriffsklasse 1") über individualisierte Nutzungsverträge ("Zugriffsklasse 2") bis hin zu einem gesicherten Datenzugriff, der nur unter streng kontrollierten Bedingungen (z.B. in einem Forschungsdatenzentrum) erfolgen kann ("Zugriffsklasse 3"). Die Umsetzung dieser wichtigen Neuerung ist jedoch geknüpft an technische Implementationen des Zugriffsklassenkonzeptes durch Datenrepositorien, die die entsprechenden Funktionalitäten bereitstellen. Zusammenfassend zielen die überarbeiteten Empfehlungen darauf ab, Forscherinnen und Forschern pragmatische Wege für den offenen und transparenten Umgang mit psychologischen Forschungsdaten aufzuzeigen und dabei auch strukturelle Herausforderungen eines für alle Beteiligten gewinnbringenden "data sharings" anzusprechen und entsprechende Maßnahmen vorzuschlagen.
Israel L & Schönbrodt F (2020). Behavior Research Methods. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13428-020-01435-y
Emotions hidden in face -
Machines read the soul
Abstract
The present study explored the interrelations between a broad set of appraisal ratings and five physiological signals, including facial EMG, electrodermal activity, and heart rate variability, that were assessed in 157 participants watching 10 emotionally charged videos. A total of 134 features were extracted from the physiological data, and a benchmark comparing different kinds of machine learning algorithms was conducted to test how well the appraisal dimensions can be predicted from these features. For 13 out of 21 appraisals, a robust positive R2 was attained, indicating that the dimensions are actually related to the considered physiological channels. The highest R2 (.407) was reached for the appraisal dimension intrinsic pleasantness. Moreover, the comparison of linear and nonlinear algorithms and the inspection of the links between the appraisals and single physiological features using accumulated local effects plots indicates that the relationship between physiology and appraisals is nonlinear. By constructing different importance measures for the assessed physiological channels, we showed that for the 13 predictable appraisals, the five channels explained different amounts of variance and that only a few blocks incrementally explained variance beyond the other physiological channels.
Zygar‐Hoffmann C, Pusch S, Hagemeyer B & Schönbrodt F (2020). Social Psychological Bulletin. https://doi.org/10.32872/spb.2873
Communion and agency flow -
Motivation's gentle
Abstract
Motivational variables are considered fundamental factors influencing the occurrence of behavior. The current study compared different types of motivational variables (implicit and explicit motive dispositions, motivation as states and as aggregated person-level variables) in their ability to predict communal and agentic behavior reports in intimate relationships. 510 individuals completed measures of dispositional communion and agency motives and participated in a dyadic experience sampling study with five assessments per day across four weeks. They reported on their momentary communal and agentic motivation, as well as on their own and their partner’s behaviors. All examined types of motivational variables predicted certain behavior reports on the between-person or within-person level and had incremental effects beyond the other motivational variables in at least one motive domain. Directly replicating and conceptually extending prior research, the effects of motivational states and their aggregates were consistently found across behavioral outcomes, across self- and partner-reports and across the motive domains of communion and agency. Using the example of motivational states, the general value of assessing within-person variables for psychological phenomena in ESM-designs is discussed.
Schönbrodt F, Hagemeyer B, Brandstätter V, Czikmantori T, Gröpel P, Hennecke M, Israel L, Janson K, Kemper N, Köllner M, Kopp P, Mojzisch A, Müller-Hotop R, Prüfer J, Quirin M, Scheidemann B, Schiestel L, Schulz‐Hardt S, Sust L, Zygar C & Schultheiss O (2020). NA. https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.2738
German tales of expert minds -
Research's gentle dance
Abstract
Parts of this research were funded by the German Research Foundation (SCHO 1334/1-1, Felix Schonbrodt; HA 6884/2-1, Birk Hagemeyer; SCHU 1210/3-1, Oliver Schultheiss; 254142454 / GRK 2070, Stefan Schulz-Hardt and Andreas Mojzisch) and the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF 100019\_156516, Marie Hennecke and Veronika Brandstatter).
Zygar‐Hoffmann C & Schönbrodt F (2020). Collabra Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1525/collabra.278
Bias creeps into recollected -
Love's momentary glow
Abstract
Relationship satisfaction can be assessed in retrospection, as a global evaluation, or as a momentary state. In two experience sampling studies (N = 130, N = 510) the specificities of these assessment modalities are examined. We show that 1) compared to other summary statistics like the median, the mean of relationship satisfaction states describes retrospective and global evaluations best (but the difference to some other summary statistics was negligible); 2) retrospection introduces an overestimation of the average annoyance in the relationship reported on a momentary basis, which results in an overall negative mean-level bias for retrospective relationship satisfaction; 3) this bias is most strongly moderated by global relationship satisfaction at the time of retrospection; 4) snapshots of momentary relationship satisfaction get representative of global evaluations after approximately two weeks of sampling. The findings extend the recall bias reported in the literature for retrospection of negative affect to the domain of relationship evaluations and assist researchers in designing efficient experience sampling studies.
2019
Pusch S, Schönbrodt F, Zygar‐Hoffmann C & Hagemeyer B (2019). European Journal of Personality. https://doi.org/10.1002/per.2227
Wishful truths about the one -
Communal whispers
Abstract
Although rooted in reality, partner perceptions often reflect wishful thinking due to perceivers’ needs. Dispositional needs, or motives, can differ between persons; however, little is known about their differential associations with everyday partner perception. The present study used data from a 4–week experience sampling study ( N = up to 60942 surveys from 510 individuals nested in 259 couples) to examine the effects of perceivers’ partner–related implicit and explicit communal motives on the perception of (i) global communal partner behaviour and (ii) specific communal and uncommunal partner behaviours. The results of truth and bias models of judgement and quasi–signal detection analyses indicate that strong implicit communal approach motives and strong explicit communal motives are associated with the tendency to overestimate the partner's communal behaviour. Additionally, strong implicit communal approach motives were associated with the tendency to avoid perceptions of uncommunal partner behaviour. Neither implicit nor explicit communal motives had an effect on accuracy in the perception of particularly communal partner behaviour. The results highlight the relevance of both implicit and explicit communal motives for momentary partner perceptions and emphasise the benefits of dyadic microlongitudinal designs for a better understanding of the mechanisms through which individual differences manifest in couples’ everyday lives. © 2019 The Authors. European Journal of Personality published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Association of Personality Psychology
Woll C & Schönbrodt F (2019). European Psychologist. https://doi.org/10.1027/1016-9040/a000385
Small gains for complex hearts found -
Healing's steady pace
Abstract
Abstract. Recent meta-analyses come to conflicting conclusions about the efficacy of long-term psychoanalytic psychotherapy (LTPP). Our first goal was to reproduce the most recent meta-analysis by Leichsenring, Abbass, Luyten, Hilsenroth, and Rabung (2013) who found evidence for the efficacy of LTPP in the treatment of complex mental disorders. Our replicated effect sizes were in general slightly smaller. Second, we conducted an updated meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials comparing LTPP (lasting for at least 1 year and 40 sessions) to other forms of psychotherapy in the treatment of complex mental disorders. We focused on a transparent research process according to open science standards and applied a series of elaborated meta-analytic procedures to test and control for publication bias. Our updated meta-analysis comprising 191 effect sizes from 14 eligible studies revealed small, statistically significant effect sizes at post-treatment for the outcome domains psychiatric symptoms, target problems, social functioning, and overall effectiveness (Hedges’ g ranging between 0.24 and 0.35). The effect size for the domain personality functioning (0.24) was not significant ( p = .08). No signs for publication bias could be detected. In light of a heterogeneous study set and some methodological shortcomings in the primary studies, these results should be interpreted cautiously. In conclusion, LTPP might be superior to other forms of psychotherapy in the treatment of complex mental disorders. Notably, our effect sizes represent the additional gain of LTPP versus other forms of primarily long-term psychotherapy. In this case, large differences in effect sizes are not to be expected.
Schönbrodt F (2019). Nature Human Behaviour. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-019-0726-z
Students learn to sow freely now -
Science blooms in hands
Abstract
NA
Blackwell S, Woud M, Margraf J & Schönbrodt F (2019). Clinical Psychological Science. https://doi.org/10.1177/2167702619858071
Leapfrogging slow treatments pace -
Science's swift stride
Abstract
The application of basic science research to the development and optimization of psychological treatments holds great potential. However, this process of clinical translation is challenging and time-consuming, and the standard route by which it proceeds is inefficient. Adaptive rolling designs, which originated within cancer treatment research, provide an alternative methodology with potential to accelerate development and optimization of psychological treatments. In such designs, multiple treatment options are tested simultaneously, with sequential Bayesian analyses used to remove poorly performing arms. Further, new treatment arms informed by the latest research findings can be introduced into the existing infrastructure as the trial progresses. These features dramatically reduce the sample sizes needed and offer a means for more rapid and efficient clinical translation. This article outlines the utility of such designs to clinical psychological science, focusing on a new variant termed the leapfrog design, and discusses their potential uses to accelerate clinical translation.
Israel L & Schönbrodt F (2019). IEEE Transactions on Affective Computing. https://doi.org/10.1109/taffc.2019.2940937
Weighted hearts seek truth within -
Emotions' soft grasp
Abstract
Appraisal theories are a prominent approach for the explanation and prediction of emotions. According to these theories, the subjective perception of an emotion results from a series of specific event evaluations. To validate and extend one of the most known representatives of appraisal theory, the Component Process Model by Klaus Scherer, we implemented four computational appraisal models that predicted emotion labels based on prototype similarity calculations. Different weighting algorithms, mapping the models' input to a distinct emotion label, were integrated in the models. We evaluated the plausibility of the models' structure by assessing their predictive power and comparing their performance to a baseline model and a highly predictive machine learning algorithm. Model parameters were estimated from empirical data and validated out-of-sample. All models were notably better than the baseline model and able to explain part of the variance in the emotion labels. The preferred model, yielding a relatively high performance and stable parameter estimations, was able to predict a correct emotion label with an accuracy of 40.2 percent and a correct emotion family with an accuracy of 76.9 percent. The weighting algorithm of this favored model corresponds to the weighting complexity implied by the Component Process Model, but uses differing weighting parameters.
Abele A, Gollwitzer M, Steinberg U & Schönbrodt F (2019). Social Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1027/1864-9335/a000384
Hopes and fears in gentle dance -
Science's open heart
Abstract
Abstract. Central values of science are, among others, transparency, verifiability, replicability, and openness. The currently very prominent Open Science (OS) movement supports these values. Among its most important principles are open methodology (comprehensive and useful documentation of methods and materials used), open access to published research output, and open data (making collected data available for re-analyses). We here present a survey conducted among members of the German Psychological Society ( N = 337), in which we applied a mixed-methods approach (quantitative and qualitative data) to assess attitudes toward OS in general and toward data sharing more specifically. Attitudes toward OS were distinguished into positive expectations (“hopes”) and negative expectations (“fears”). These were un-correlated. There were generally more hopes associated with OS and data sharing than fears. Both hopes and fears were highest among early career researchers and lowest among professors. The analysis of the open answers revealed that generally positive attitudes toward data sharing (especially sharing of data related to a published article) are somewhat diminished by cost/benefit considerations. The results are discussed with respect to individual researchers’ behavior and with respect to structural changes in the research system.
Carter E, Schönbrodt F, Gervais W & Hilgard J (2019). Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science. https://doi.org/10.1177/2515245919847196
Methods fail with overestimation -
Truth in varied guise
Abstract
Publication bias and questionable research practices in primary research can lead to badly overestimated effects in meta-analysis. Methodologists have proposed a variety of statistical approaches to correct for such overestimation. However, it is not clear which methods work best for data typically seen in psychology. Here, we present a comprehensive simulation study in which we examined how some of the most promising meta-analytic methods perform on data that might realistically be produced by research in psychology. We simulated several levels of questionable research practices, publication bias, and heterogeneity, and used study sample sizes empirically derived from the literature. Our results clearly indicated that no single meta-analytic method consistently outperformed all the others. Therefore, we recommend that meta-analysts in psychology focus on sensitivity analyses—that is, report on a variety of methods, consider the conditions under which these methods fail (as indicated by simulation studies such as ours), and then report how conclusions might change depending on which conditions are most plausible. Moreover, given the dependence of meta-analytic methods on untestable assumptions, we strongly recommend that researchers in psychology continue their efforts to improve the primary literature and conduct large-scale, preregistered replications. We provide detailed results and simulation code at https://osf.io/rf3ys and interactive figures at http://www.shinyapps.org/apps/metaExplorer/ .
Nestler S, Humberg S & Schönbrodt F (2019). Psychological Methods. https://doi.org/10.1037/met0000199
Congruence revealed with care -
Values intertwined
Abstract
Response surface analysis (RSA) is a statistical approach that enables researchers to test congruence hypotheses; the proposition that the degree of congruence between people's values in 2 psychological constructs should be positively or negatively related to their value in an outcome variable. This is done by estimating a polynomial regression model and using the graph of the model and several parameters as a guide to interpret the resulting regression coefficients in terms of the congruence hypothesis. One problem with using RSA in applied research is that the model and the interpretation of the model's parameters in terms of congruence effects have only been thoroughly developed for single-level data. Here, we present an extension of RSA to multilevel data. Among other things we show how the standard errors can be computed and how researchers can decide whether the occurrence of a congruence effect depends on a Level 2 covariate. We illustrate the suggested extension with 2 examples that guide readers through the test of congruence effects in the case of multilevel data. We also provide R scripts that researchers can adopt to conduct multilevel RSA. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
Stefan A, Gronau Q, Schönbrodt F & Wagenmakers E (2019). Behavior Research Methods. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13428-018-01189-8
Truth in threads of prior hope -
Evidence's sweet dance
Abstract
Well-designed experiments are likely to yield compelling evidence with efficient sample sizes. Bayes Factor Design Analysis (BFDA) is a recently developed methodology that allows researchers to balance the informativeness and efficiency of their experiment (Schönbrodt & Wagenmakers, Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 25(1), 128-142 2018). With BFDA, researchers can control the rate of misleading evidence but, in addition, they can plan for a target strength of evidence. BFDA can be applied to fixed-N and sequential designs. In this tutorial paper, we provide an introduction to BFDA and analyze how the use of informed prior distributions affects the results of the BFDA. We also present a user-friendly web-based BFDA application that allows researchers to conduct BFDAs with ease. Two practical examples highlight how researchers can use a BFDA to plan for informative and efficient research designs.
2018
Suessenbach F, Loughnan S, Schönbrodt F & Moore A (2018). European Journal of Personality. https://doi.org/10.1002/per.2184
Prestige and leadership rise -
Power's varied dance
Abstract
The power motive predicts influential social behaviour; however, its heterogeneous conceptualisations have produced inconsistent results. To overcome this problem, we developed and validated a unitary taxonomy of social power motives based on established delineations of social hierarchies: the dominance, prestige, and leadership account. While we could measure these motives both reliably and distinctively (study 1), we also showed they strongly related to a common power desire (study 2). Assessing their nomological networks (studies 3 and 4), we demonstrated distinct associations between the dominance motive (D: wanting to coerce others into adhering to one's will) and anger and verbal aggression; the prestige motive (P: wanting to obtain admiration and respect) and the fear of losing reputation and claiming to have higher moral concerns; the leadership motive (L: wanting to take responsibility in and for one's group) and emotional stability and helping behaviour. Furthermore, while D uniquely predicted agonistic/retaliatory behaviour in dictator games (study 5), L uniquely predicted the attainment of higher employment ranks in various professions (study 7). Finally, at least to some degree, P and L related positively, and D negatively to prosocial donating behaviour (study 6). This taxonomy represents a novel and powerful approach to predicting influential social behaviour. © 2018 European Association of Personality Psychology
Klein R, Vianello M, Hasselman F, Adams B, Adams R, Alper S, Aveyard M, Axt J, Babalola M, Bahník Š, Batra R, Berkics M, Bernstein M, Berry D, Białobrzeska O, Binan E, Bocian K, Brandt M, Busching R, Rédei A, Cai H, Cambier F, Cantarero K, Carmichael C, Céric F, Chandler J, Chang J, Chatard A, Chen E, Cheong W, Cicero D, Coen S, Coleman J, Collisson B, Conway M, Corker K, Curran P, Cushman F, Dagona Z, Dalgar I, Rosa A, Davis W, Bruijn M, Schutter L, Devos T, Vries M, Doğulu C, Dozo N, Dukes K, Dunham Y, Durrheim K, Ebersole C, Edlund J, Eller A, English A, Finck C, Frankowska N, Freyre M, Friedman M, Galliani E, Gandi J, Ghoshal T, Giessner S, Gill T, Gnambs T, Gómez Á, González R, Graham J, Grahe J, Grahek I, Green E, Hai K, Haigh M, Haines E, Hall M, Heffernan M, Hicks J, Houdek P, Huntsinger J, Huynh H, IJzerman H, Inbar Y, Innes-Ker Å, Jiménez‐Leal W, John M, Joy-Gaba J, Kamiloglu R, Kappes H, Karabatı S, Karick H, Keller V, Kende A, Kervyn N, Knežević G, Kovacs C, Krueger L, Kurapov G, Kurtz J, Lakens D & Lazarević L (2018). Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science. https://doi.org/10.1177/2515245918810225
Significance swings wide and free -
Truth in every step
Abstract
We conducted preregistered replications of 28 classic and contemporary published findings, with protocols that were peer reviewed in advance, to examine variation in effect magnitudes across samples and settings. Each protocol was administered to approximately half of 125 samples that comprised 15,305 participants from 36 countries and territories. Using the conventional criterion of statistical significance ( p < .05), we found that 15 (54%) of the replications provided evidence of a statistically significant effect in the same direction as the original finding. With a strict significance criterion ( p < .0001), 14 (50%) of the replications still provided such evidence, a reflection of the extremely high-powered design. Seven (25%) of the replications yielded effect sizes larger than the original ones, and 21 (75%) yielded effect sizes smaller than the original ones. The median comparable Cohen’s ds were 0.60 for the original findings and 0.15 for the replications. The effect sizes were small (< 0.20) in 16 of the replications (57%), and 9 effects (32%) were in the direction opposite the direction of the original effect. Across settings, the Q statistic indicated significant heterogeneity in 11 (39%) of the replication effects, and most of those were among the findings with the largest overall effect sizes; only 1 effect that was near zero in the aggregate showed significant heterogeneity according to this measure. Only 1 effect had a tau value greater than .20, an indication of moderate heterogeneity. Eight others had tau values near or slightly above .10, an indication of slight heterogeneity. Moderation tests indicated that very little heterogeneity was attributable to the order in which the tasks were performed or whether the tasks were administered in lab versus online. Exploratory comparisons revealed little heterogeneity between Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic (WEIRD) cultures and less WEIRD cultures (i.e., cultures with relatively high and low WEIRDness scores, respectively). Cumulatively, variability in the observed effect sizes was attributable more to the effect being studied than to the sample or setting in which it was studied.
Schönbrodt F, Humberg S & Nestler S (2018). European Journal of Personality. https://doi.org/10.1002/per.2169
Similarities revealed slow -
Relationship's depth shines
Abstract
Dyadic similarity effect hypotheses state that the (dis)similarity between dyad members (e.g. the similarity on a personality dimension) is related to a dyadic outcome variable (e.g. the relationship satisfaction of both partners). Typically, these hypotheses have been investigated by using difference scores or other profile similarity indices as predictors of the outcome variables. These approaches, however, have been vigorously criticized for their conceptual and statistical shortcomings. Here, we introduce a statistical method that is based on polynomial regression and addresses most of these shortcomings: dyadic response surface analysis. This model is tailored for similarity effect hypotheses and fully accounts for the dyadic nature of relationship data. Furthermore, we provide a tutorial with an illustrative example and reproducible R and Mplus scripts that should assist substantive researchers in precisely formulating, testing, and interpreting their dyadic similarity effect hypotheses. © 2018 European Association of Personality Psychology
Silberzahn R, Uhlmann E, Martin D, Anselmi P, Aust F, Awtrey E, Bahník Š, Bai F, Bannard C, Bonnier E, Carlsson R, Cheung F, Christensen G, Clay R, Craig M, Rosa A, Dam L, Evans M, Cervantes I, Fong N, Gamez-Djokic M, Glenz A, Gordon-McKeon S, Heaton T, Hederos K, Heene M, Mohr A, Högden F, Hui K, Johannesson M, Kalodimos J, Kaszubowski E, Kennedy D, Lei R, Lindsay T, Liverani S, Madan C, Molden D, Molleman E, Morey R, Mulder L, Nijstad B, Pope N, Pope B, Prenoveau J, Rink F, Robusto E, Roderique H, Sandberg A, Schlüter E, Schönbrodt F, Sherman M, Sommer S, Sotak K, Spain S, Spörlein C, Stafford T, Stefanutti L, Täuber S, Ullrich J, Vianello M, Wagenmakers E, Witkowiak M, Yoon S & Nosek B (2018). Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science. https://doi.org/10.1177/2515245917747646
Variation reigns supreme -
Objectivity lost
Abstract
Twenty-nine teams involving 61 analysts used the same data set to address the same research question: whether soccer referees are more likely to give red cards to dark-skin-toned players than to light-skin-toned players. Analytic approaches varied widely across the teams, and the estimated effect sizes ranged from 0.89 to 2.93 ( Mdn = 1.31) in odds-ratio units. Twenty teams (69%) found a statistically significant positive effect, and 9 teams (31%) did not observe a significant relationship. Overall, the 29 different analyses used 21 unique combinations of covariates. Neither analysts’ prior beliefs about the effect of interest nor their level of expertise readily explained the variation in the outcomes of the analyses. Peer ratings of the quality of the analyses also did not account for the variability. These findings suggest that significant variation in the results of analyses of complex data may be difficult to avoid, even by experts with honest intentions. Crowdsourcing data analysis, a strategy in which numerous research teams are recruited to simultaneously investigate the same research question, makes transparent how defensible, yet subjective, analytic choices influence research results.
Humberg S, Dufner M, Schönbrodt F, Geukes K, Hutteman R, Küfner A, Zalk M, Denissen J, Nestler S & Back M (2018). Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspp0000204
Most adjustment blooms here still -
Truth's gentle whisper
Abstract
Empirical research on the (mal-)adaptiveness of favorable self-perceptions, self-enhancement, and self-knowledge has typically applied a classical null-hypothesis testing approach and provided mixed and even contradictory findings. Using data from 5 studies (laboratory and field, total N = 2,823), we used an information-theoretic approach combined with Response Surface Analysis to provide the first competitive test of 6 popular hypotheses: that more favorable self-perceptions are adaptive versus maladaptive (Hypotheses 1 and 2: Positivity of self-view hypotheses), that higher levels of self-enhancement (i.e., a higher discrepancy of self-viewed and objectively assessed ability) are adaptive versus maladaptive (Hypotheses 3 and 4: Self-enhancement hypotheses), that accurate self-perceptions are adaptive (Hypothesis 5: Self-knowledge hypothesis), and that a slight degree of self-enhancement is adaptive (Hypothesis 6: Optimal margin hypothesis). We considered self-perceptions and objective ability measures in two content domains (reasoning ability, vocabulary knowledge) and investigated 6 indicators of intra- and interpersonal psychological adjustment. Results showed that most adjustment indicators were best predicted by the positivity of self-perceptions. There were some specific self-enhancement effects, and evidence generally spoke against the self-knowledge and optimal margin hypotheses. Our results highlight the need for comprehensive and simultaneous tests of competing hypotheses. Implications for the understanding of underlying processes are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
Zygar‐Hoffmann C, Hagemeyer B, Pusch S & Schönbrodt F (2018). European Journal of Personality. https://doi.org/10.1002/per.2145
Communion motive beats strong -
Love's subtle dynamics
Abstract
Embedded in a theoretically founded process model (termed Dynamics of Motive Satisfaction, ‘DynaMoS’), the present study examined the links between the implicit dispositional communion motive, everyday motivational dynamics, and relationship outcomes in couples. Within–subject processes are proposed to explain between–subject associations of dispositional motives and relationship satisfaction. For an empirical test of the model, data on the dispositional partner–related need for communion and global relationship satisfaction were obtained from 152 individuals in heterosexual relationships. In an extensive experience sampling spanning 2 weeks, a subsample of 130 individuals answered questions about their current motivational states, mood, state relationship satisfaction, and experiences with their partner five times a day. The results were largely consistent with the DynaMoS model: (1) individuals with a strong dispositional implicit communion motive reported more often to be in a communal motivational state; (2) communally motivated individuals were more likely to engage in subsequent instrumental behaviour; and (3) relationship experiences that potentially satisfy communion motivation led to more positive relationship outcomes when individuals were motivated before compared with when they were not. It is discussed how these results and the experience sampling method can foster our understanding of how dispositional characteristics translate into everyday processes and shape relationship outcomes. Copyright © 2018 European Association of Personality Psychology
Schönbrodt F, Maier M, Heene M & Bühner M (2018). Psychologische Rundschau. https://doi.org/10.1026/0033-3042/a000386
Open hearts and willing minds -
Transparency's path
Abstract
Zusammenfassung. Groß angelegte Replikationsprojekte der letzten Jahre legen ein aus unserer Sicht beunruhigendes Ausmaß an nicht-replizierbaren Befunden in der wissenschaftlichen Literatur nahe, sowohl in der Psychologie als auch in anderen Disziplinen. Basierend auf einer Analyse einiger Ursachen dieser Situation argumentieren wir, dass der Wandel hin zu einer offenen Wissenschaft („Open Science“) eine Konsequenz aus der Glaubwürdigkeitskrise sein muss. Wir plädieren für konkrete und machbare Änderungen in den Arbeitseinheiten und Instituten vor Ort, und zeigen exemplarisch, welche Schritte am Department Psychologie der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München umgesetzt wurden. Diese Schritte betreffen Anreizstrukturen, die Forschungskultur, die Lehre und die Verzahnung mit der Ethikkommission. Sie haben das Ziel, eine reproduzierbarere und glaubwürdigere Forschung zu unterstützen, ohne unnötige bürokratische Belastungen zu erzeugen.
2017
Schönbrodt F & Scheel A (2017). Zeitschrift für Sportpsychologie. https://doi.org/10.1026/1612-5010/a000217
Free riders on our backs weigh -
Knowledge's honest claim
Abstract
Präambel: Viele Diskussionspunkte um Open Data lassen sich grob in zwei Perspektiven einteilen. (A) die Qualitätsperspektive, bzw. die Gemeinwohlperspektive: Wie können wir gute Wissenschaft machen und echtes Wissen generieren? Was können wir aus der aktuellen Replikationskrise lernen und in Zukunft besser machen? Die andere Perspektive könnte man als (B) individuell-strategische Perspektive bezeichnen: Was bedeuten die neuen Forschungspraktiken und -anforderungen für die individuellen Karrieren von Forscherinnen und Forschern, insbesondere aus dem Nachwuchs? Wo liegen strategische Vor- oder Nachteile? Gibt es „free rider“ oder „research parasites“ ( Longo & Drazen, 2016 ; McNutt, 2016 ), die mich ausnutzen? Wie kann ich mich in einem hart umkämpften Arbeitsmarkt gegen die Konkurrenz durchsetzen? Die aktuell vorliegenden Fragen beziehen sich zu einem großen Teil auf die zweite Perspektive. Das ist bei Nachwuchsforschenden legitim und nachvollziehbar. Uns ist es aber wichtig, bei allen Karriereunsicherheiten die übergeordnete Frage nicht zu vergessen: Wie können wir gute Wissenschaft umsetzen? Wie können wir dazu beitragen, dass echtes Wissen generiert wird? Das sollte uns als Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftlern das wichtigste Anliegen sein. Und entsprechend sollten wir als Fachgemeinschaft auch Karriereanreize so organisieren, dass sie dieses Ziel unterstützen.
Benjamin D, Berger J, Johannesson M, Nosek B, Wagenmakers E, Berk R, Bollen K, Brembs B, Brown L, Camerer C, Cesarini D, Chambers C, Clyde M, Cook T, Boeck P, Dienes Z, Dreber A, Easwaran K, Efferson C, Fehr E, Fidler F, Field A, Forster M, George E, Gonzalez R, Goodman S, Green E, Green D, Greenwald A, Hadfield J, Hedges L, Held L, Ho T, Hoijtink H, Hruschka D, Imai K, Imbens G, Ioannidis J, Jeon M, Jones J, Kirchler M, Laibson D, List J, Little R, Lupia A, Machery É, Maxwell S, McCarthy M, Moore D, Morgan S, Munafò M, Nakagawa S, Nyhan B, Parker T, Pericchi L, Perugini M, Rouder J, Rousseau J, Savalei V, Schönbrodt F, Sellke T, Sinclair B, Tingley D, Zandt T, Vazire S, Watts D, Winship C, Wolpert R, Xie Y, Young C, Zinman J & Johnson V (2017). Nature Human Behaviour. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-017-0189-z
Significance lost its shape -
Numbers whisper doubt
Abstract
NA
Weidmann R, Schönbrodt F, Ledermann T & Grob A (2017). Journal of Research in Personality. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2017.04.003
Similar hearts in harmony -
Satisfaction blooms
Abstract
NA
Humberg S, Dufner M, Schönbrodt F, Geukes K, Hutteman R, Zalk M, Denissen J, Nestler S & Back M (2017). Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspp0000134
Truth in blurred self-perception -
Self-image's sharp lens
Abstract
Despite a large body of literature and ongoing refinements of analytical techniques, research on the consequences of self-enhancement (SE) is still vague about how to define SE effects, and empirical results are inconsistent. In this paper, we point out that part of this confusion is due to a lack of conceptual and methodological differentiation between effects of individual differences in how much people enhance themselves (SE) and in how positively they view themselves (positivity of self-view; PSV). We show that methods commonly used to analyze SE effects are biased because they cannot differentiate between the effects of PSV and the effects of SE. We provide a new condition-based regression analysis (CRA) that unequivocally identifies effects of SE by testing intuitive and mathematically derived conditions on the coefficients in a bivariate linear regression. Using data from 3 studies on intellectual SE (total N = 566), we then illustrate that the CRA provides novel results as compared with traditional methods. Results suggest that many previously identified SE effects are in fact effects of PSV alone. The new CRA approach thus provides a clear and unbiased understanding of the consequences of SE. It can be applied to all conceptualizations of SE and, more generally, to every context in which the effects of the discrepancy between 2 variables on a third variable are examined. (PsycINFO Database Record
Schönbrodt F & Wagenmakers E (2017). Psychonomic Bulletin & Review. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13423-017-1230-y
Bayes factors, measured truth -
Evidence's slow dance
Abstract
A sizeable literature exists on the use of frequentist power analysis in the null-hypothesis significance testing (NHST) paradigm to facilitate the design of informative experiments. In contrast, there is almost no literature that discusses the design of experiments when Bayes factors (BFs) are used as a measure of evidence. Here we explore Bayes Factor Design Analysis (BFDA) as a useful tool to design studies for maximum efficiency and informativeness. We elaborate on three possible BF designs, (a) a fixed-n design, (b) an open-ended Sequential Bayes Factor (SBF) design, where researchers can test after each participant and can stop data collection whenever there is strong evidence for either $\mathcal {H}_{1}$ or $\mathcal {H}_{0}$ , and (c) a modified SBF design that defines a maximal sample size where data collection is stopped regardless of the current state of evidence. We demonstrate how the properties of each design (i.e., expected strength of evidence, expected sample size, expected probability of misleading evidence, expected probability of weak evidence) can be evaluated using Monte Carlo simulations and equip researchers with the necessary information to compute their own Bayesian design analyses.
Marsman M, Schönbrodt F, Morey R, Yao Y, Gelman A & Wagenmakers E (2017). Royal Society Open Science. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.160426
Null results claim majority -
Science's subtle dance
Abstract
We applied three Bayesian methods to reanalyse the preregistered contributions to the Social Psychology special issue 'Replications of Important Results in Social Psychology' (Nosek & Lakens. 2014 Registered reports: a method to increase the credibility of published results. Soc. Psychol.45, 137-141. (doi:10.1027/1864-9335/a000192)). First, individual-experiment Bayesian parameter estimation revealed that for directed effect size measures, only three out of 44 central 95% credible intervals did not overlap with zero and fell in the expected direction. For undirected effect size measures, only four out of 59 credible intervals contained values greater than [Formula: see text] (10% of variance explained) and only 19 intervals contained values larger than [Formula: see text]. Second, a Bayesian random-effects meta-analysis for all 38 t-tests showed that only one out of the 38 hierarchically estimated credible intervals did not overlap with zero and fell in the expected direction. Third, a Bayes factor hypothesis test was used to quantify the evidence for the null hypothesis against a default one-sided alternative. Only seven out of 60 Bayes factors indicated non-anecdotal support in favour of the alternative hypothesis ([Formula: see text]), whereas 51 Bayes factors indicated at least some support for the null hypothesis. We hope that future analyses of replication success will embrace a more inclusive statistical approach by adopting a wider range of complementary techniques.
Schönbrodt F, Gollwitzer M & Abele A (2017). Psychologische Rundschau. https://doi.org/10.1026/0033-3042/a000341
Psychology's treasure stored -
Knowledge's gentle breeze
Abstract
6Eine Möglichkeit, die Leistungen datengenerierender Forschung stärker zu würdigen, ist die Schaffung einer neuen Publikationskategorie, die "Datenbereitstellung".Artikel,
2016
Schönbrodt F (2016). NA. https://doi.org/10.31219/osf.io/ndggf
Congruent, yet scales apart -
Math's gentle persuasion
Abstract
Fit hypotheses, also labeled ‘congruence’, ‘discrepancy’, or ‘congruity’ hypotheses, contain the notion that an outcome is optimal when two predictor variables match well, while incongruent/discrepant combinations of the predictors lead to a suboptimal outcome. Previous statistical frameworks for analyzing fit hypotheses emphasized the necessity of commensurable scales, which means that both predictors must be measured on the same content dimension and on the same numerical scale. In some research areas, however, it is impossible to achieve scale equivalence, because the predictors have to be measured with different methods, such as explicit attitudes (e.g., questionnaires) and implicit attitudes (e.g., reaction time task). In this paper, I differentiate numerical congruence from fit patterns, a concept that does not depend on the notion of commensurability, and hence can be applied to fit hypotheses with incommensurable scales. Polynomial regression can be used to test for the presence of a fit pattern in empirical data. I propose several new regression models for testing fit patterns which are statistically simpler and conceptually more meaningful than a full polynomial model. An R package is introduced which provides user-friendly functions for the computation, visualization, and model comparison of several fit patterns. An empirical example on implicit/explicit motive fit demonstrates the usage of the new methods.
Geukes K, Schönbrodt F, Utesch K, Geukes S & Back M (2016). Zeitschrift für Sportpsychologie. https://doi.org/10.1026/1612-5010/a000167
Open hands, transparent hearts -
Trust slowly renews
Abstract
Zusammenfassung. Die Psychologie, und mit ihr auch die Sportpsychologie, befindet sich in einer sogenannten Vertrauenskrise (siehe Titel des Themenhefts). Während die Diskussion ihrer Ursachen und Konsequenzen lebendig geführt wird, fehlt es an der Herausarbeitung individueller Möglichkeiten, Vertrauen wieder kollektiv herzustellen. In diesem Beitrag zeigen wir Wege aus dieser Vertrauenskrise auf und beschreiben insbesondere individuelle Schritte hin zu verlässlichem und offenem Forschen: Verlässliches Forschen bezieht sich auf das Publizieren von robusten Ergebnissen, sowie von direkten und konzeptuellen Replikationsstudien und offenes Forschen auf die Transparenz hinsichtlich der Planung (Präregistrierung), der Durchführung (Open Material) und der Analyse (Open Data, Reproducible Code) wissenschaftlicher Untersuchungen. Das Bekenntnis zu verlässlicher und offener Forschung wird unser Handeln in den verschiedenen Rollen im Wissenschaftssystem (als Forscher, Reviewer, Herausgeber, Betreuer, Kommissionsmitglied etc.) verändern. In diesem Sinne begreifen wir in diesem Beitrag die momentane Diskussion als Chance, die Zuverlässigkeit unserer Befunde nachhaltig zu steigern und langfristig gerechtfertigtes Vertrauen zu schaffen.
Schiestel L & Schönbrodt F (2016). Self and Identity. https://doi.org/10.1080/15298868.2015.1132758
Self-control's depleted force -
Restored by quiet
Abstract
A wide range of research suggests that the exertion of self-control is a limited resource or constrained by a motivational shift. Less attention, however, has been given to the question how self-control capacity can be restored. This study examined whether this restoration can be achieved by “presence,” the perceptual illusion of non-mediation. We suggest that the adoption of the mediated reference systems creates a “holiday from self” and restores self-control capacity. Depleted participants who saw an immersive video clip performed better in a subsequent self-control task than participants who saw a non-immersive video clip or were in a waiting group. But the concrete mechanism remains open: Self reported presence did not serve as a mediator.
Bleidorn W, Schönbrodt F, Gebauer J, Rentfrow P, Potter J & Gosling S (2016). Psychological Science. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797615627133
Self-esteem's gentle blooms rise -
Fits in calm delight
Abstract
Does it matter if your personality fits in with the personalities of the people where you live? The present study explored the links between person-city personality fit and self-esteem. Using data from 543,934 residents of 860 U.S. cities, we examined the extent to which the fit between individuals’ Big Five personality traits and the Big Five traits of the city where they live (i.e., the prevalent traits of the city’s inhabitants) predicts individuals’ self-esteem. To provide a benchmark for these effects, we also estimated the degree to which the fit between person and city religiosity predicts individuals’ self-esteem. The results provided a nuanced picture of the effects of person-city personality fit on self-esteem: We found significant but small effects of fit on self-esteem only for openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness, rather than effects for all Big Five traits. Similar results and effect sizes were observed for religiosity. We conclude with a discussion of the relevance and limitations of this study.
Morey R, Chambers C, Etchells P, Harris C, Hoekstra R, Lakens D, Lewandowsky S, Morey C, Newman D, Schönbrodt F, Vanpaemel W, Wagenmakers E & Zwaan R (2016). Royal Society Open Science. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.150547
Incentivized honesty -
Science's gentle grasp
Abstract
Openness is one of the central values of science. Open scientific practices such as sharing data, materials and analysis scripts alongside published articles have many benefits, including easier replication and extension studies, increased availability of data for theory-building and meta-analysis, and increased possibility of review and collaboration even after a paper has been published. Although modern information technology makes sharing easier than ever before, uptake of open practices had been slow. We suggest this might be in part due to a social dilemma arising from misaligned incentives and propose a specific, concrete mechanism—reviewers withholding comprehensive review—to achieve the goal of creating the expectation of open practices as a matter of scientific principle.
2015
Schönbrodt F, Wagenmakers E, Zehetleitner M & Perugini M (2015). Psychological Methods. https://doi.org/10.1037/met0000061
Evidence accumulates slow -
Truth in gentle grasp
Abstract
Unplanned optional stopping rules have been criticized for inflating Type I error rates under the null hypothesis significance testing (NHST) paradigm. Despite these criticisms, this research practice is not uncommon, probably because it appeals to researcher's intuition to collect more data to push an indecisive result into a decisive region. In this contribution, we investigate the properties of a procedure for Bayesian hypothesis testing that allows optional stopping with unlimited multiple testing, even after each participant. In this procedure, which we call Sequential Bayes Factors (SBFs), Bayes factors are computed until an a priori defined level of evidence is reached. This allows flexible sampling plans and is not dependent upon correct effect size guesses in an a priori power analysis. We investigated the long-term rate of misleading evidence, the average expected sample sizes, and the biasedness of effect size estimates when an SBF design is applied to a test of mean differences between 2 groups. Compared with optimal NHST, the SBF design typically needs 50% to 70% smaller samples to reach a conclusion about the presence of an effect, while having the same or lower long-term rate of wrong inference. (PsycINFO Database Record
Luhmann M, Necka E, Schönbrodt F & Hawkley L (2015). Journal of Research in Personality. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2015.11.003
Valuing joy leads to less -
Happiness' cold grasp
Abstract
NA
Richetin J, Costantini G, Perugini M & Schönbrodt F (2015). PLoS ONE. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0129601
Hidden truths in latency's depths -
Measuring subtle lies
Abstract
Since the development of D scores for the Implicit Association Test, few studies have examined whether there is a better scoring method. In this contribution, we tested the effect of four relevant parameters for IAT data that are the treatment of extreme latencies, the error treatment, the method for computing the IAT difference, and the distinction between practice and test critical trials. For some options of these different parameters, we included robust statistic methods that can provide viable alternative metrics to existing scoring algorithms, especially given the specificity of reaction time data. We thus elaborated 420 algorithms that result from the combination of all the different options and test the main effect of the four parameters with robust statistical analyses as well as their interaction with the type of IAT (i.e., with or without built-in penalty included in the IAT procedure). From the results, we can elaborate some recommendations. A treatment of extreme latencies is preferable but only if it consists in replacing rather than eliminating them. Errors contain important information and should not be discarded. The D score seems to be still a good way to compute the difference although the G score could be a good alternative, and finally it seems better to not compute the IAT difference separately for practice and test critical trials. From this recommendation, we propose to improve the traditional D scores with small yet effective modifications.
Time and change unravel slowly -
Lifespan's subtle shift
Abstract
Rauthmann, Sherman and Funder have made a landmark contribution to situation research in the target article of this issue.However, we propose that their work overlooks the need to incorporate a developmental perspective.This includes the separate but related issues of time and change.Situations often unfold over long periods of time, can bleed together, and are not time-delimited in the way traditional laboratory experiments define them.Moreover, individuals systematically change over time (lifespan development) and their reactions to situations, as well as their personality-situation transactions, develop in tandem.Rauthmann, Sherman & Funder have made a landmark contribution to situation research in their target article.After several decades marked by lack of consensus, the authors proffer a well-crafted case for consensual approval on key topics in situational research including three over-arching principles, many related corollaries, and several underlying operational definitions.We hope the article achieves the desired effect: provision of a solid and muchneeded foundation for the field.We propose however that the work of Rauthmann, Sherman & Funder overlooks the need to incorporate a developmental perspective, including the separate but related issues of time and change.To their credit, they do mention "cumulative effects that accrue over time," intra-individual variation in situation experiences, temporality in situation ratings, and "multi-time" assessments of situations and persons.However, none of these directly acknowledges that situations often unfold over long periods of time, can bleed together, and are not time-delimited as traditionally defined by laboratory experiments.Additionally, individuals systematically change over the lifespan (development) with their reactions to situations developing in tandem. The Issue of TimeWe illustrate the time component by anecdote: after 50 years of smoking and 2 weeks of discomforting symptoms, one of our parents received a chilling, if not surprising, diagnosis
Stas L, Schönbrodt F & Loeys T (2015). Journal of Family Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0000058
Dance of cause and effect -
Family's subtle rhyme
Abstract
Family research aims to explore family processes, but is often limited to the examination of unidirectional processes. As the behavior of 1 person has consequences that go beyond that individual, family functioning should be investigated in its full complexity. The social relations model (SRM; Kenny & La Voie, 1984) is a conceptual and analytical model that can disentangle family data from a round-robin design at 3 different levels: the individual level (actor and partner effects), the dyadic level (relationship effects), and the family level (family effect). Its statistical complexity may however be a hurdle for family researchers. The user-friendly R package fSRM performs almost automatically those rather complex SRM analyses and introduces new possibilities for assessing differences between SRM means and between SRM variances, both within and between groups of families. Using family data on negative processes, different type of research questions are formulated and corresponding analyses with fSRM are presented.
Dufner M, Arslan R, Hagemeyer B, Schönbrodt F & Denissen J (2015). Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspp0000025
Motive threads through human heart -
Affection's small spark
Abstract
According to classical motive disposition theory, individuals differ in their propensity to derive pleasure from affiliative experiences. This propensity is considered a core process underlying the affiliation motive and a pervasive cause of motivated behavior. In this study, we tested these assumptions. We presented participants with positive affiliative stimuli and used electromyography to record changes in facial muscular activity that are indicative of subtle smiling. We were thus able to physiologically measure positive affect following affiliative cues. Individual differences in these affective contingencies were internally consistent and temporally stable. They converged with affiliation motive self- and informant reports and picture story exercise scores, indicating that they are partly accessible to the self, observable to outsiders, and overlap with implicit systems. Finally, they predicted affiliative behavior in terms of situation selection and modification across a wide variety of contexts (i.e., in daily life, the laboratory, and an online social network). These findings corroborate the long-held assumption that affective contingencies represent a motivational core aspect of affiliation.
Hagemeyer B, Schönbrodt F, Neyer F, Neberich W & Asendorpf J (2015). Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspi0000031
Distance is a shield from pain -
Motives hold us fast
Abstract
The present research addresses the interplay between agency motives and objective dyadic closeness with regard to the functioning of intimate couple relationships.Applying a Person ϫ Situation approach, we hypothesized (a) that partners' implicit and explicit agency motives predict their selection of dyadic living arrangements characterized by high or low objective closeness (coresidence or living-aparttogether), (b) that agency motives have more negative effects on relationship functioning in coresident couples, (c) that agency motives predict agentic motivational states in coresident couples, and (d) that agentic states predict day-to-day changes in relationship satisfaction under conditions of high objective closeness.We found support for these between-and within-couple hypotheses in cross-sectional and prospective analyses of an age-heterogeneous sample of 548 heterosexual couples, and in a 2-week diary study with a subsample of 106 couples.Most notably, agentic motive dispositions and motivational states related to relationship functioning more negatively under conditions of high objective closeness.The overall positive effect of objective closeness on relationship functioning was diminished by strong agentic motivation.Perspectives for future research on agency motives in couple relationships are discussed.
2014
Süßenbach F & Schönbrodt F (2014). Journal of Cognitive Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1080/20445911.2014.945457
Anxious hearts hesitate free -
Trustworthiness shines bright
Abstract
AbstractGaze cueing (i.e., the shifting of person B's attention by following person A's gaze) is closely linked with human interaction and learning. To make the most of this connection, researchers need to investigate possible moderators enhancing or reducing the extent of this attentional shifting. In this study we used a gaze cueing paradigm to demonstrate that the perceived trustworthiness of a cueing person constitutes such a moderator for female participants. Our results show a significant interaction between perceived trustworthiness and the response time trade-off between valid and invalid gaze cues [gaze cueing effect (GCE)], as manifested in greater following of a person's gaze if this person was trustworthy as opposed to the following of an untrustworthy person's gaze. An additional exploratory analysis showed potentially moderating influences of trait-anxiety on this interaction (p = .057). The affective background of the experiment (i.e., using positive or negative target stimuli) had no influence.Keywords: Affective backgroundAnxietyGaze cueingModeratorTrustworthiness Supplementary materialSupplementary content is available via the 'Supplementary' tab on the article's online page (http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20445911.2014.945457).Notes1 This requirement was due to an additional hypothesis in which we predicted that two familiar faces (Aragorn from The Lord of the Rings and Hannibal Lecter from The Silence of the Lambs) would be naturally and more strongly primed trustworthy or untrustworthy, respectively, and thus participants should show an even bigger difference in GCEs when following – or not following – the gaze of these faces. As we had problems finding enough participants who had seen both movies and as this was just an additional exploratory hypothesis, we relaxed this requirement. Thus, we ended up with 48 out of 60 participants who had seen both movies. However, results regarding these characters are not reported here, as they can only be regarded exploratory since these character's faces could neither be counterbalanced with their corresponding trustworthiness nor could we efficiently control for effects of different degrees of familiarity, which might have had an effect (Deaner et al., Citation2007). Nonetheless, the interested reader finds all the obtained results and our complete dataset in the online supplementary material.
Luhmann M, Schönbrodt F, Hawkley L & Cacioppo J (2014). Cognition & Emotion. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699931.2014.922053
Loneliness breeds distance cold -
Vicious cycles spin
Abstract
Feeling lonely motivates people to reconnect with others, but it can also trigger a vicious cycle of cognitions and behaviours that reinforces their loneliness. In this study, we examined the behavioural consequences of loneliness in a virtual social environment. A total of 176 participants navigated a character (protagonist) through a two-dimensional browser game and rated the character's loneliness multiple times during the game. In the first part of the game, another character is introduced as the protagonist's spouse. At one point, the spouse leaves for an undetermined period of time but later returns. Immediately before this separation, higher ascribed loneliness of the protagonist was associated with more frequent interactions with the spouse. After the reunion, however, higher ascribed loneliness was associated with less frequent interactions with the spouse. Ascribed loneliness was not significantly related to the frequency of interactions with others nor to the frequency of solitary activities. These patterns held after controlling for ascribed positive affect. Participants' levels of loneliness were related to the level of ascribed loneliness only when the spouse was present but not when the spouse was absent. In sum, these findings suggest that the conditions that trigger the vicious cycle of loneliness are person- and situation-specific.
Larue D, Schmidt A, Imhoff R, Eggers K, Schönbrodt F & Banse R (2014). Psychological Assessment. https://doi.org/10.1037/pas0000016
Violence and lust intertwined -
Shadows in the heart
Abstract
Individuals differ in the extent to which they are interested in sexualized violence as displayed in the frequent but not ubiquitous sexual interest in consensual acts of violent sexual roleplay and violent pornographic media in the normal population.The present research sought to develop and validate a multi-method asessment battery to measure individual differences in the preference for sexualized violence (PSV).Three indirect measures (Implicit Association Test, Semantic Misattribution Paradigm, Viewing Time) were combined in an online study with 107 men and 103 women.Participants with and without an affiliation with sadomasochistic sexual interest groups were recruited on corresponding internet platforms.Results revealed that all three indirect measures converged in predicting self-reported sexual interest in nonconsensual sexuality.Specifically, for men all indirect measures were related to non-consensual sadistic sexual interest, whereas for women an association with masochistic sexual interest was found.Stimulus artefacts versus genuine gender differences are discussed as potential explanations of this dissociation.An outlook on the usability of the assessment battery in applied settings is delivered.
2013
Schönbrodt F & Perugini M (2013). Journal of Research in Personality. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2013.05.009
Correlations settle down -
Truth in larger numbers
Abstract
NA
2012
Schönbrodt F & Gerstenberg F (2012). Journal of Research in Personality. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2012.08.010
Motive forces in alignment -
Inner drives align
Abstract
NA
2011
Schönbrodt F, Back M & Schmukle S (2011). Behavior Research Methods. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13428-011-0150-4
Round-robin patterns unfold -
Social ties revealed
Abstract
NA
Schönbrodt F & Asendorpf J (2011). Journal of Personality. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6494.2011.00736.x
Shadows dance on virtual wall -
Love in digital space
Abstract
The study investigated the transfer of attachment working models onto autonomous agents in a virtual social environment (VSE). Participants from a community sample (N = 422; mean age = 29 years; mean relationship duration = 4.8 years) encountered three attachment-related key scenes in a VSE: a separation with a subsequent reunion, a conflict, and an illness. In these scenarios, participants gave instructions to the main character (the "protagonist"), who had a romantic relationship with one of the other agents (the "virtual spouse"). Recorded were numerous behaviors as well as emotions participants ascribed to the protagonist. Generally, participants' attachment styles correlated as predicted with their behavior toward the virtual spouse, with βs up to.42. Thus, the study demonstrates that internal working models are transferred to the virtual relationship. This approach opens new ways to investigate attachment-related behavior by using VSEs that allow experimental variations of the virtual partner's reactions and other situational variables.
Back M, Baumert A, Denissen J, Hartung F, Penke L, Schmukle S, Schönbrodt F, Schröder–Abé M, Vollmann M, Wagner J & Wrzus C (2011). European Journal of Personality. https://doi.org/10.1002/per.811
Personality's dance with fate -
Relationships unfold
Abstract
The interplay of personality and social relationships is as fascinating as it is complex and it pertains to a wide array of largely separate research domains. Here, we present an integrative and unified framework for analysing the complex dynamics of personality and social relationships (PERSOC). Basic principles and general processes on the individual and dyadic level are outlined to show how personality and social relationships influence each other and develop over time. PERSOC stresses the importance of social behaviours and interpersonal perceptions as mediating processes organized in social interaction units. The framework can be applied to diverse social relationships such as first encounters, short–term acquaintances, friendships, relationships between working group members, educational or therapeutic settings, romantic relationships and family relationships. It has important consequences for how we conceptualize, understand, and investigate personality and social relationships. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Schönbrodt F & Asendorpf J (2011). Journal of Media Psychology Theories Methods and Applications. https://doi.org/10.1027/1864-1105/a000040
Believable, yet unreal -
Human touch eludes
Abstract
Embodied conversational agents (ECAs) are designed to provide natural and intuitive communication with a human user. One major current topic in agent design consequently is to enhance their believability, often by incorporating internal models of emotions or motivations. As psychological theories often lack the necessary details for direct implementation, many agent modelers currently rely on models that are rather marginal in current psychological research, or models that are created ad hoc with little theoretical and empirical foundation. The goal of this article is both to raise psychologists’ awareness of the central challenges in the process of creating psychologically believable agents, and to recommend existing psychological frameworks to the virtual agents community that seem particularly useful for implementation in ECAs. Special attention is paid to a computationally detailed model of basic social motives that seems particularly useful for implementation: the Zurich model of social motivation.
2010
Denissen J, Schönbrodt F, Zalk M, Meeus W & Aken M (2010). European Journal of Personality. https://doi.org/10.1002/per.799
Reputation spreads its roots -
Knowledge's subtle might
Abstract
The current study investigated the antecedents and consequences of peer–rated intelligence in a longitudinal round robin design, following previously unacquainted members of small student work groups. Results indicated that peer–reputations of intelligence were reliable, stable and weakly correlated with objective intelligence. Bias was shown by correlations with interpersonal liking (decreasing across time) and idiosyncratic rating tendencies (increasing across time). Agreement between self–ratings and peer–reputations increased over time but was not based on increasing accuracy but on reciprocal associations between self–ratings and peer–reputations in the beginning of the acquaintanceship process, and on peer–reputations predicting changes in self–ratings later on. Finally, it was shown that peer–rated intelligence reputations predict academic achievement across two 4–month periods (even when tested intelligence was controlled) and dropout from university after 8 months. Overall, the pattern of results demonstrates the utility of a socioanalytic perspective in analysing personality and social processes. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.