Replication of the natural selection of bad science

R Soc Open Sci. 2023 Feb 22;10(2):221306. doi: 10.1098/rsos.221306. eCollection 2023 Feb.

Abstract

This study reports an independent replication of the findings presented by Smaldino and McElreath (Smaldino, McElreath 2016 R. Soc. Open Sci. 3, 160384 (doi:10.1098/rsos.160384)). The replication was successful with one exception. We find that selection acting on scientist's propensity for replication frequency caused a brief period of exuberant replication not observed in the original paper due to a coding error. This difference does not, however, change the authors' original conclusions. We call for more replication studies for simulations as unique contributions to scientific quality assurance.

Keywords: agent-based model; cultural evolution; incentives; metascience; replication.