Opinion Paper - Special Collection: Open Science Practices - a vision for the future of SAJIP

On reproducibility and replicability: Arguing for open science practices and methodological improvements at the South African Journal of Industrial Psychology

Emir Efendic, Llewellyn E. van Zyl
SA Journal of Industrial Psychology | Vol 45 | a1607 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/sajip.v45i0.1607 | © 2019 Emir Efendic, Llewellyn E. van Zyl | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 10 November 2018 | Published: 30 May 2019

About the author(s)

Emir Efendic, Department of Human Performance Management, University of Eindhoven, Eindhoven, Netherlands; and Psychological Sciences Research Institute, University of Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
Llewellyn E. van Zyl, Department of Human Performance Management, University of Eindhoven, Eindhoven, Netherlands; and Optentia Research Programme, Faculty of Humanities, North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, Vanderbijlpark, Netherlands

Abstract

Problematisation: In recent years, psychology has been going through a crisis of sorts. Research methods and practices have come under increased scrutiny, with many issues identified as negatively contributing to low replicability and reproducibility of psychological research.

Implications: As a consequence, researchers are increasingly called upon to overhaul and improve their research process. Various stakeholders within the scientific community are arguing for more openness and rigor within industrial and organisational (I-O) psychological research. A lack of transparency and openness further fuels criticisms as to the credibility and trustworthiness of I-O psychology which negatively affects the evidence-based practices which it supports. Furthermore, traditional gate-keepers such as grant agencies, professional societies and journals, are adapting their policies, reflecting an effort to curtail these trends.

Purpose: The purpose of this opinion paper is, therefore, to stimulate an open dialogue with the South African Journal of Industrial Psychology (SAJIP) contributing authors, its editorial board and readership about the challenges associated with the replication crisis in psychology. Furthermore, it attempts to discuss how the identified issues affect I-O psychology and how these could be managed through open science practices and other structural improvements within the SAJIP.

Recommendations: We enumerate several easily implementable open science practices, methodological improvements and editorial policy enhancements to enhance credibility and transparency within the SAJIP. Relying on these, we recommend changes to the current practices that can be taken up by researchers and the SAJIP to improve reproducibility and replicability in I-O psychological science.


Keywords

Open science; replication; reproducibility; industrial psychology; organisational psychology; academic publishing.

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