Putting together three TIPSters responses to Daryl Bem's precognition study, here's a potted guide to how one should approach claimed research findings:
1. Mike Palij: >Even if no one can find problems with what Bem reports in >his manuscript, the real test is replication of Bem's results >by independent researchers. 2. Chris Green: >This article has shaken, once again, the tree about psychologists' >use of statistical analysis. >http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1018886/Bem6.pdf Maxim 2: Always look for informed critical responses to a claim about findings from an experiment or study before drawing any conclusions. (Then look for responses to the responses. How far you take this depends on how important the claimed findings are, or how much time you have on your hands. :-) ) 3. Don Allen: >The old maxim "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence" >has always been a good guide. I would add that Maxim 2 should also apply more generally to how one judges the case made for an author's viewpoint on *any* subject, scientific or otherwise. Allen Esterson Former lecturer, Science Department Southwark College, London allenester...@compuserve.com http://www.esterson.org ------------------------------- sbl...@ubishops.ca wrote: I can see the future. I see that a respected psychologist with excellent credentials and a position at a quality university will provide strong evidence in favour of precognition. I see that this will be published, not in any old parapsychology rag, but in the holy _Journal of Personality and Social Psychology_. I see that there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth over this one. News report: http://tinyurl.com/Bem-precognition Preprint: http://www.dbem.ws/FeelingFuture.pdf (My thanks to a colleague who pointed me to this). Stephen -------------------------------------------- Stephen L. Black, Ph.D. Professor of Psychology, Emeritus Bishop's University Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada e-mail: sblack at ubishops.ca --------------------------------------------- --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: arch...@jab.org. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=6522 or send a blank email to leave-6522-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
