Doing Reliable Research in Comparative Psychology: Challenges and Proposals for Improvement

Unlike some other areas of psychology that have experienced a reproducibility crisis, the extent to which research findings in comparative psychology are reliable is only just beginning to come under the spotlight. I outline what is known about where we as a field stand in terms of the reliability of our findings and highlight some characteristic features of our research that give may cause for concern, focusing primarily on experimental comparative cognition. I then discuss ways that we as individual researchers and a wider community can take steps to improve our current practices (and in some cases already are) and highlight the crucial role institutions and gatekeepers have to play in effecting change. By tackling potential issues head on, the field of comparative psychology can have more confidence that our research findings and the resultant claims we make about animal behavior and cognition are reliable.

Automated summary

Comparative psychology is just beginning to focus on the reliability of research findings, particularly in experimental comparative cognition. Individual researchers and the wider community can take steps to improve current practices, while institutions and gatekeepers play a crucial role in effecting change. By addressing potential issues, the field of comparative psychology can have more confidence in the reliability of research findings and claims about animal behavior and cognition.