The extent and consequences of p-hacking in science

PLoS Biol. 2015 Mar 13;13(3):e1002106. doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1002106. eCollection 2015 Mar.

Abstract

A focus on novel, confirmatory, and statistically significant results leads to substantial bias in the scientific literature. One type of bias, known as "p-hacking," occurs when researchers collect or select data or statistical analyses until nonsignificant results become significant. Here, we use text-mining to demonstrate that p-hacking is widespread throughout science. We then illustrate how one can test for p-hacking when performing a meta-analysis and show that, while p-hacking is probably common, its effect seems to be weak relative to the real effect sizes being measured. This result suggests that p-hacking probably does not drastically alter scientific consensuses drawn from meta-analyses.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Meta-Analysis as Topic*
  • Publication Bias*
  • Science / ethics*
  • Science / statistics & numerical data
  • Statistics as Topic

Grants and funding

Funding for this research was provided by Australian Research Council Grants awarded to MDJ, RL and LH. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.