Neuroadaptive Bayesian optimisation can allow integrative design spaces at the individual level in the social and behavioural sciences … and beyond
Behav Brain Sci. 2024 Feb 5;47:e45. doi: 10.1017/S0140525X23002388.ABSTRACTAlmaatouq et al. propose an integrative experiment design space combined with large samples for scientific advancement. We argue recent innovative designs combining closed-loop experiment designs and Bayesian optimisation allow for integrative experiments at an individual level during a single session, circumventing the necessity for large samples. This method can be applied across disciplines, including developmental and clinical research.PMID:38311461 | DOI:10.1017/S0140525X23002388 (Source: The Behavioral and Brain Sciences)
Source: The Behavioral and Brain Sciences - February 4, 2024 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Rianne Haartsen Anna Gui Emily J H Jones Source Type: research
Are language-cognition interactions bigger than a breadbox? Integrative modeling and design space thinking temper simplistic questions about causally dense phenomena
Behav Brain Sci. 2024 Feb 5;47:e60. doi: 10.1017/S0140525X23002145.ABSTRACTWe affirm the utility of integrative modeling, according to which it is advantageous to move beyond "one-at-a-time binary paradigms" through studies that position themselves within realistic multidimensional design spaces. We extend the integrative modeling approach to a target domain with which we are familiar, the consequences of bilingualism on mind and brain, often referred to as the "bilingual advantage." In doing so, we highlight work from our group consistent with integrative modeling.PMID:38311462 | DOI:10.1017/S0140525X23002145 (Source: The...
Source: The Behavioral and Brain Sciences - February 4, 2024 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Debra Titone Esteban Hern ández-Rivera Antonio Iniesta Anne L Beatty-Mart ínez Jason W Gullifer Source Type: research
Is generalization decay a fundamental law of psychology?
Behav Brain Sci. 2024 Feb 5;47:e54. doi: 10.1017/S0140525X23002352.ABSTRACTGeneralizations strengthen in traditional sciences, but in psychology (and social and behavioral sciences, more generally) they decay. This is usually viewed as a problem requiring solution. It could be viewed instead as a law-like phenomenon. Generalization decay cannot be squelched because human behavior is metastable and all behavioral data collected thus far have resulted from a thin sliver of human time.PMID:38311463 | DOI:10.1017/S0140525X23002352 (Source: The Behavioral and Brain Sciences)
Source: The Behavioral and Brain Sciences - February 4, 2024 Category: Neuroscience Authors: David R Mandel Source Type: research
Diversity of contributions is not efficient but is essential for science
Behav Brain Sci. 2024 Feb 5;47:e57. doi: 10.1017/S0140525X23002285.ABSTRACTDominant paradigms in science foster integration of research findings, but at what cost? Forcing convergence requires centralizing decision-making authority, and risks reducing the diversity of methods and contributors, both of which are essential for the breakthrough ideas that advance science.PMID:38311464 | DOI:10.1017/S0140525X23002285 (Source: The Behavioral and Brain Sciences)
Source: The Behavioral and Brain Sciences - February 4, 2024 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Catherine T Shea Anita Williams Woolley Source Type: research
Confidence in research findings depends on theory
Behav Brain Sci. 2024 Feb 5;47:e41. doi: 10.1017/S0140525X23002261.ABSTRACTAlmaatouq et al. view the purpose of research is to map variable-to-variable relationships (e.g., the effect of X on Y). They also view theory as this mapping of variable-to-variable relationships rather than an explanation of why the relationships occur. However, it is theory as explanation that allows us to reconcile disparate findings and that should guide application.PMID:38311465 | DOI:10.1017/S0140525X23002261 (Source: The Behavioral and Brain Sciences)
Source: The Behavioral and Brain Sciences - February 4, 2024 Category: Neuroscience Authors: David Gal Brian Sternthal Bobby J Calder Source Type: research
There are no shortcuts to theory
Behav Brain Sci. 2024 Feb 5;47:e38. doi: 10.1017/S0140525X23002169.ABSTRACTAlmaatouq et al. claim that the integrative experiment design can help "develop a reliable, cohesive, and cumulative theoretical understanding." I will contest this claim by challenging three underlying assumptions about the nature of scientific theories. I propose that the integrative experiment design should be viewed as an exploratory framework rather than a means to build or evaluate theories.PMID:38311466 | DOI:10.1017/S0140525X23002169 (Source: The Behavioral and Brain Sciences)
Source: The Behavioral and Brain Sciences - February 4, 2024 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Berna Devezer Source Type: research
Eliminativist induction cannot be a solution to psychology's crisis
Behav Brain Sci. 2024 Feb 5;47:e62. doi: 10.1017/S0140525X23002157.ABSTRACTIntegrative experiment design assumes that we can effectively design a space of factors that cause contextual variation. However, this is impossible to do so in a sufficiently objective way, resulting inevitably in observations laden with surrogate models. Consequently, integrative experiment design may even deepen the problem of incommensurability. In comparison, one-at-a-time approaches make much more tentative assumptions about the factors excluded from experiment design, hence still seem better suited to deal with incommensurability.PMID:3831143...
Source: The Behavioral and Brain Sciences - February 4, 2024 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Mehmet Necip Tun ç Duygu Uygun Tun ç Source Type: research
Getting lost in an infinite design space is no solution
Behav Brain Sci. 2024 Feb 5;47:e44. doi: 10.1017/S0140525X23002236.ABSTRACTAlmaatouq et al. argue that an "integrative experiment design" approach can help generating cumulative empirical and theoretical knowledge. Here, we discuss the novelty of their approach and scrutinize its promises and pitfalls. We argue that setting up a "design space" may turn out to be theoretically uninformative, inefficient, and even impossible. Designing truly diagnostic experiments provides a better alternative.PMID:38311435 | DOI:10.1017/S0140525X23002236 (Source: The Behavioral and Brain Sciences)
Source: The Behavioral and Brain Sciences - February 4, 2024 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Mario Gollwitzer Johannes Prager Source Type: research
The social sciences needs more than integrative experimental designs: We need better theories
Behav Brain Sci. 2024 Feb 5;47:e47. doi: 10.1017/S0140525X23002297.ABSTRACTAlmaatouq et al.'s prescription for more integrative experimental designs is welcome but does not address an equally important problem: Lack of adequate theories. We highlight two features theories ought to satisfy: "Well-specified" and "grounded." We discuss the importance of these features, some positive exemplars, and the complementarity between the target article's prescriptions and improved theorizing.PMID:38311436 | DOI:10.1017/S0140525X23002297 (Source: The Behavioral and Brain Sciences)
Source: The Behavioral and Brain Sciences - February 4, 2024 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Moshe Hoffman Tadeg Quillien Bethany Burum Source Type: research
Test many theories in many ways
Behav Brain Sci. 2024 Feb 5;47:e37. doi: 10.1017/S0140525X23002376.ABSTRACTDemonstrating the limitations of the one-at-a-time approach, crowd initiatives reveal the surprisingly powerful role of analytic and design choices in shaping scientific results. At the same time, cross-cultural variability in effects is far below the levels initially expected. This highlights the value of "medium" science, leveraging diverse stimulus sets and extensive robustness checks to achieve integrative tests of competing theories.PMID:38311437 | DOI:10.1017/S0140525X23002376 (Source: The Behavioral and Brain Sciences)
Source: The Behavioral and Brain Sciences - February 4, 2024 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Wilson Cyrus-Lai Warren Tierney Eric Luis Uhlmann Source Type: research
Beyond integrative experiment design: Systematic experimentation guided by causal discovery AI
Behav Brain Sci. 2024 Feb 5;47:e52. doi: 10.1017/S0140525X23002273.ABSTRACTIntegrative experiment design is a needed improvement over ad hoc experiments, but the specific proposed method has limitations. We urge a further break with tradition through the use of an enormous untapped resource: Decades of causal discovery artificial intelligence (AI) literature on optimizing the design of systematic experimentation.PMID:38311438 | DOI:10.1017/S0140525X23002273 (Source: The Behavioral and Brain Sciences)
Source: The Behavioral and Brain Sciences - February 4, 2024 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Erich Kummerfeld Bryan Andrews Source Type: research
Don't let perfect be the enemy of better: In defense of unparameterized megastudies
Behav Brain Sci. 2024 Feb 5;47:e53. doi: 10.1017/S0140525X23002121.ABSTRACTThe target article argues researchers should be more ambitious, designing studies that systematically and comprehensively explore the space of possible experiments in one fell swoop. We argue that while "systematic" is rarely achievable, "comprehensive" is often enough. Critically, the recent popularization of massive online experiments shows that comprehensive studies are achievable for most cognitive and behavioral research questions.PMID:38311439 | DOI:10.1017/S0140525X23002121 (Source: The Behavioral and Brain Sciences)
Source: The Behavioral and Brain Sciences - February 4, 2024 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Wei Li Joshua K Hartshorne Source Type: research
Dimensional versus conceptual incommensurability in the social and behavioral sciences
Behav Brain Sci. 2024 Feb 5;47:e64. doi: 10.1017/S0140525X23002182.ABSTRACTThis commentary analyzes the extent to which the incommensurability problem can be resolved through the proposed alternative method of integrative experiment design. We suggest that, although one aspect of incommensurability is successfully addressed (dimensional incommensurability), the proposed design space method does not yet alleviate another major source of discontinuity, which we call conceptual incommensurability.PMID:38311440 | DOI:10.1017/S0140525X23002182 (Source: The Behavioral and Brain Sciences)
Source: The Behavioral and Brain Sciences - February 4, 2024 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Eugene Vaynberg Kate Nicole Hoffman Jacqueline Mae Wallis Michael Weisberg Source Type: research
Experiment commensurability does not necessitate research consolidation
Behav Brain Sci. 2024 Feb 5;47:e61. doi: 10.1017/S0140525X23002364.ABSTRACTIntegrative experiment design promises to foster cumulative knowledge by changing how we design experiments, build theories, and conduct research. I support the push to increase commensurability across experimental research but raise several reservations regarding results-driven and large-team-based research. I argue that it is vital to preserve academic diversity and adversarial debate via independent efforts.PMID:38311441 | DOI:10.1017/S0140525X23002364 (Source: The Behavioral and Brain Sciences)
Source: The Behavioral and Brain Sciences - February 4, 2024 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Milena Tsvetkova Source Type: research
The miss of the framework
Behav Brain Sci. 2024 Feb 5;47:e59. doi: 10.1017/S0140525X23002315.ABSTRACTThe authors rightly critique existing social sciences approaches. However, they are too quick to dismiss the criticism that their proposed paradigm is atheoretical. Social and cognitive theories are indeed incommensurate, often due to the lack of a unifying framework. Without proper integration with theoretical frameworks, their proposal may merely produce a resource-intensive veneer of thoroughness without substantive improvements to understanding.PMID:38311442 | DOI:10.1017/S0140525X23002315 (Source: The Behavioral and Brain Sciences)
Source: The Behavioral and Brain Sciences - February 4, 2024 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Paul E Smaldino Source Type: research
