Replications in Behavior Analysis

Only a small portion of all studies in psychology are replicated. In 2012, researchers in psychology called for more replications of classic studies. An interim appraisal of this initiative received disillusioning results: Only 39 % of the major study results of psychology could be reproduced. In behavior analysis, the most frequently used research design is the single subject design (SSD). SSD studies generally should be easier to replicate than studies with large sample sizes. It is often assumed that in behavior analysis, the replication of findings is much more common than in psychology. But is this the case? The author presents primary results of a literature review on the topic of replications in behavior analysis.

• Why are replications important?
• Different types of replications
• Different sciences, different research designs, different philosophies of science
• How often do we replicate studies and reproduce their findings?