Why psychology is in peril as a scientific discipline—and how to save it

 

Psychological science has made extraordinary discoveries about the human mind, but can we trust everything its practitioners are telling us? In recent years, it has become increasingly apparent that a lot of research in psychology is based on weak evidence, questionable practices, and sometimes even fraud. The Seven Deadly Sins of Psychology diagnoses the ills besetting the discipline today and proposes sensible, practical solutions to ensure that it remains a legitimate and reliable science in the years ahead. In this unflinchingly candid manifesto, Chris Chambers shows how practitioners are vulnerable to powerful biases that undercut the scientific method, how they routinely torture data until it produces outcomes that can be published in prestigious journals, and how studies are much less reliable than advertised. Left unchecked, these and other problems threaten the very future of psychology as a science—but help is here.

 

"Chris Chambers's portrait should sit high on the wall of heroes in the movement to reform science."—Barbara A. Spellman, Nature

"Psychology: it's not dead yet. But Chris Chambers makes a stark case for its having engaged in sins that call its validity into question."—Luna C. M. Centifanti, Times Higher Education

"Passionate, provocative, and persuasive, Chambers' book is filled with information and insights about current practices in psychology—and offers recommendations to enhance transparency and reproducibility."—Glenn C. Altschuler, Psychology Today

"An excellent warts-and-all summary of the state of play in modern psychology."—Dean Burnett, The Guardian

"Superb and exceedingly timely. . . . An impressive achievement."—Scott O. Lilienfeld and Thomas H. Costello, PsycCRITIQUES

"I applaud Chambers for advocating reform of our science and this book for encouraging me to rethink our discipline. This book should be required reading for all graduate students and, of course, their mentors."—Dom Massaro, American Journal of Psychology

 

Awards and Recognition

• One of The Guardian's Favourite Reads of 2017 as chosen by scientists
• Winner of the 2018 PROSE Award in Psychology, Association of American Publishers
• Winner of the 2018 British Psychological Society Book Award, Best Academic Monograph