26 January 2011

The Truth Can Wear Off in Science


Very interesting article by Jonah Lehrer in the New Yorker title The Truth Wears Off about how scientific findings can see robust positive findings at first but these findings 'decline' with repeated experimentation by others. The author discusses a number of reasons from random error/chance finding in the earlier studies leading to regression to the mean in subsequent studies, human bias (selective reporting i.e. subtle omissions and unconscious misperceptions) and publication bias (positive findings are more likely to be published).

Read the full article at the New Yorker by clicking here.

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