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How redefining statistical significance can worsen the replication crisis

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  • Williams, Cole Randall

Abstract

In response to the replication crisis in science, a group of prominent scholars has proposed redefining statistical significance by reducing the p-value significance threshold from 0.05 to 0.005. Rather than solving the replication problem, I show that lowering the significance threshold can increase the rate of false positives by creating a negative selection effect. Thus, redefining statistical significance may not be a silver bullet for solving the replication crisis.

Suggested Citation

  • Williams, Cole Randall, 2019. "How redefining statistical significance can worsen the replication crisis," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 181(C), pages 65-69.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolet:v:181:y:2019:i:c:p:65-69
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econlet.2019.05.007
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