Appreciating the Significance of Non-significant Findings in Psychology

Abstract

Statistical hypothesis tests for which the null hypothesis cannot be rejected ("null findings") are often seen as negative outcomes in the life and social sciences and are thus scarcely published. Null findings can, however, bear important insights about the validity of theories and hypotheses. In fact, the tendency to publish mainly significant findings is considered a key reason for failures to replicate previous studies in various fields, including psychology. In this editorial, we discuss the relevance of non-significant results in psychological research, and provide a short overview of statistical methods that render these results more informative. Considering the circumstances of limited time and research resources that students often face, we close with recommendations for more efficient research designs.