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Psychological Phenomena

Publication Bias

Confirmation and Motivated-Reasoning Biases

Publication bias is the tendency for the outcome of a research study to influence the likelihood that it gets published or otherwise distributed. Because studies that report statistically significant or positive findings are more likely to reach publication than those with null or negative results, the overall body of published research on a topic can end up skewed toward positive findings even when the full set of studies conducted would not support that conclusion.

Facts
Core Claim
publication bias occurs when the outcome of an experiment or research study biases the decision to publish or otherwise distribute it 1
First Described Year
1959 1
Classification
Type of Phenomenon
Cognitive Phenomenon 1
Sources
1. Publication bias - Wikipedia
  • Intro, sentence 1
    publication bias occurs when the outcome of an experiment or research study biases the decision to publish or otherwise distribute it
  • Definition section
    The subject was first discussed in 1959 by statistician Theodore Sterling
  • lead section, phenomenon-kind classification
    In published academic research, publication bias occurs when the outcome of an experiment or research study biases the decision to publish or otherwise distribute it.
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