The norms of scientific practice in social psychology facilitating publication of Stapel-like research and impeding fraud detection

In reference to Diederik A. Stapel case the article presents the norms of scientific practice in social psychology that facilitate fraud and fabrication of data, and make them difficult to detect. These issues concern theory, methods and practices in social sciences. The mechanisms that lead to publishing of non-existent effects and their influence on norms of scientific practice are discussed. Specifically, in social sciences a set of hypotheses is tested in a single study, and this in turn leads to difficulties in evaluation of replications of the original research and therefore to failure in detecting the studies based on fabricated data. Moreover, the multitude of medium-range theories in social science rules out the possibility of theory-based detection of Stapel-like effects. In addition, we highlight the problem of inadequate control over the work of academic psychologists resulting from the relatively low pressure from the practitioners. peerReviewed publishedVersion