META-REP: A Meta-scientific Programme to Analyse and Optimise Replicability in the Behavioural, Social, and Cognitive Sciences (SPP 2317)
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Aims & Scope of the Program

The behavioral, social, and cognitive sciences are in the midst of an intensive debate about the replicability of their empirical findings. Shaken by the results of many replication projects that have been conducted in recent years, scholars have begun discussing what replicability actually means and when a replication can be regarded as successful vs. failed, whether low replication rates are caused by too many false positive findings in the literature, methodological weaknesses in the replication studies, measurement issues, and/or the underappreciated influence of contextual effects, and what can be done to effectively and sustainably secure a high level of replicability in the behavioral, social, and cognitive sciences.

The Priority Programme "META-REP" (SPP 2317) aims to contribute significantly to this debate by

  • describing and defining "replication" (including "successful" vs. "failed" replications) across different scientific disciplines (the "what" question),
  • explaining why replication rates vary across and within different disciplines (the "why" question), and
  • evaluating measures that have been proposed and implemented to increase replication rates (the "how" question).

For further information see our DFG Project Proposal.