Rabble Rouser

Everything you wanted to know about social psychology but were afraid to ask

Required Diversity Statements as Ideological Loyalty Oaths

A mathematician posts an essay opposing requiring faculty applicants to provide diversity statements. This has evoked another academic outrage mob.

Viewpoint Diversity: Necessary for Quality Science

There is a need for researchers to adopt standard methods for preventing their own psychological biases from confounding the validity of their research.

More of What Needs Fixing in Psychology

An early career scholar who left the field speaks out.

What Needs Fixing in Psychology?

Early career scholars often bring new and fresh perspectives to a scientific field. This post presents a pair of such views.

Confirmation Bias: Real Bias or Delegitimization Rhetoric?

Confirmation biases are pervasive. But people often use the term to unjustifiably delegitimize their opponents. How can you tell the difference?

Scientific Bias in Favor of Studies Finding Gender Bias

There are more studies showing scientists are egalitarian or favor women in peer review. But the studies finding bias against women get disproportionate scientific attention.

Are Scientists Biased Against Women Scientists? Part II

Are scientists biased against women in science? For women? Egalitarian? What does the evidence actually say?

Are Scientists Biased Against Women Scientists? Part I

The existence of sex bias in science is controversial, with some people, in science & out, with some claiming biases do not occur, and others outraged at such claims. What's true?

Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria

A researcher found that parents claimed their teenage kids expressed transgender identification out of the blue. All hell broke loose. Science improved. Maybe.

Do Politics Predict Belief in Evolutionary Psychology?

If researcher ideology predicts their acceptance of scientific findings, something may be wrong somewhere.

Intellectual Imperialism, Part II

How to improve social psychology by reducing scientific biases.

Intellectual Imperialism, Part I

One of psychology's longstanding obstacles to becoming a high functioning science has been intellectual imperialism -- the premature dismissal and derogation of viable perspectives

Why Students Are Terrified (to Speak Their Minds)

Small amounts of ideological intolerance directed at other people is enough to terrify students.

Intellectual Corruption and Peer Review

In the service of advancing narratives supporting identity politics, group-based grievances, and victimhood, many academics will believe almost anything.

Serena Williams and Unjustified Charges of Racism & Sexism

Serena behaved badly in the eyes of many. Was penalizing her racism and sexism, or were those charges irresponsible?

Why I Am a Rabble Rouser in Psychological Science

Why embracing scientific controversies and debates in blunt terms that clearly annoys some people can be a good idea.

Why I Am Disillusioned About Social Psychology

A social psychologist explains how the field's scientific and political malfunctions drove her out.

Is Everything You Learned in Intro Psych Wrong?

The famous Stanford Prison Study is not credible.

Psychology Desperately Needs a Massive Influx of Skepticism

The house of scientific social psychology is crumbing. Skepticism can help rebuild it.

"Gender Stereotypes are Inaccurate" if You Ignore the Data

Scientists are incorrect when they declare stereotypes in general to be "inaccurate."

Self-Correction: The Methodological Revolution in Psychology

Self-correction is one of the hallmarks of science, but it's been slow to work in psychology. How can the field become the self-correcting science it aspires to be?

"Hidden Forces and Essences" Psychology as Magic

Psychology and other social sciences have produced an array of incoherent and difficult to replicate hidden forces and "essences" that supposedly create inequality.