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Testing theories with Bayes factors

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posted on 2023-06-10, 03:09 authored by Zoltan DienesZoltan Dienes

Bayes factors – evidence for one model versus another – are a useful tool in the social and behavioral sciences, partly because they can provide evidence for no effect relative to the sort of effect expected. By contrast, a non-significant result does not provide evidence for the null hypothesis tested. If non-significance does not in itself count against any theory predicting an effect, how could a theory fail a test? Bayes factors provide a measure of evidence from first principles. A severe test is one that is likely to obtain evidence against a theory if it were false – to obtain an extreme Bayes factor against the theory. Bayes factors show why cherry picking degrades evidence, how to deal with multiple testing, and how optional stopping is consistent with severe testing. Further, informed Bayes factors can be used to link theory tightly to how that theory is tested, so that the measured evidence does relate to the theory.

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Accepted version

Publisher

Cambridge University Press

Volume

Volume 1: Building a Program of Research

Page range

494-512

Book title

The Cambridge Handbook of Research Methods and Statistics for the Social and Behavioral Sciences

ISBN

9781009010054

Department affiliated with

  • Psychology Publications

Full text available

  • No

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Editors

Austin Lee Nichols, John Edlund

Legacy Posted Date

2022-04-21

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2022-04-21

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