The need for nuance in the null hypothesis significance testing debate

Häggström, Olle | 2017

Educational and Psychological Measurement, Vol. 77 (2017), 4, p. 616-630.

Abstract

Null hypothesis significance testing (NHST) provides an important statistical toolbox, but there are a number of ways in which it is often abused and misinterpreted, with bad consequences for the reliability and progress of science. Parts of contemporary NHST debate, especially in the psychological sciences, is reviewed, and a suggestion is made that a new distinction between strongly, weakly and very weakly anti-NHST positions is likely to bring added clarity to the debate.

 

Educational and Psychological Measurement, Vol. 77 (2017), 4, p. 616-630.

Abstract

Null hypothesis significance testing (NHST) provides an important statistical toolbox, but there are a number of ways in which it is often abused and misinterpreted, with bad consequences for the reliability and progress of science. Parts of contemporary NHST debate, especially in the psychological sciences, is reviewed, and a suggestion is made that a new distinction between strongly, weakly and very weakly anti-NHST positions is likely to bring added clarity to the debate.