Is the Psychopathic Brain an Artifact of Coding Bias? A Systematic Review
Questionable research practices are a well-recognized problem in psychology. Coding bias, or the tendency of review studies to disproportionately cite positive findings from original research, has received comparatively little attention. Coding bias is more likely to occur when original research, su...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-04-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.654336/full |
| _version_ | 1818873675953209344 |
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| author | Jarkko Jalava Stephanie Griffiths Stephanie Griffiths Rasmus Rosenberg Larsen B. Emma Alcott |
| author_facet | Jarkko Jalava Stephanie Griffiths Stephanie Griffiths Rasmus Rosenberg Larsen B. Emma Alcott |
| author_sort | Jarkko Jalava |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Questionable research practices are a well-recognized problem in psychology. Coding bias, or the tendency of review studies to disproportionately cite positive findings from original research, has received comparatively little attention. Coding bias is more likely to occur when original research, such as neuroimaging, includes large numbers of effects, and is most concerning in applied contexts. We evaluated coding bias in reviews of structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI) studies of PCL-R psychopathy. We used PRISMA guidelines to locate all relevant original sMRI studies and reviews. The proportion of null-findings cited in reviews was significantly lower than those reported in original research, indicating coding bias. Coding bias was not affected by publication date or review design. Reviews recommending forensic applications—such as treatment amenability or reduced criminal responsibility—were no more accurate than purely theoretical reviews. Coding bias may have contributed to a perception that structural brain abnormalities in psychopaths are more consistent than they actually are, and by extension that sMRI findings are suitable for forensic application. We discuss possible sources for the pervasive coding bias we observed, and we provide recommendations to counteract this bias in review studies. Until coding bias is addressed, we argue that this literature should not inform conclusions about psychopaths' neurobiology, especially in forensic contexts. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T12:58:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cfb800189da8468faf29ae56d293aefb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T12:58:29Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-cfb800189da8468faf29ae56d293aefb2022-12-21T20:20:19ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782021-04-011210.3389/fpsyg.2021.654336654336Is the Psychopathic Brain an Artifact of Coding Bias? A Systematic ReviewJarkko Jalava0Stephanie Griffiths1Stephanie Griffiths2Rasmus Rosenberg Larsen3B. Emma Alcott4Department of Interdisciplinary Studies, Okanagan College, Penticton, BC, CanadaDepartment of Psychology, Okanagan College, Penticton, BC, CanadaWerklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, CanadaForensic Science Program and Department of Philosophy, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, CanadaIrving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, CanadaQuestionable research practices are a well-recognized problem in psychology. Coding bias, or the tendency of review studies to disproportionately cite positive findings from original research, has received comparatively little attention. Coding bias is more likely to occur when original research, such as neuroimaging, includes large numbers of effects, and is most concerning in applied contexts. We evaluated coding bias in reviews of structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI) studies of PCL-R psychopathy. We used PRISMA guidelines to locate all relevant original sMRI studies and reviews. The proportion of null-findings cited in reviews was significantly lower than those reported in original research, indicating coding bias. Coding bias was not affected by publication date or review design. Reviews recommending forensic applications—such as treatment amenability or reduced criminal responsibility—were no more accurate than purely theoretical reviews. Coding bias may have contributed to a perception that structural brain abnormalities in psychopaths are more consistent than they actually are, and by extension that sMRI findings are suitable for forensic application. We discuss possible sources for the pervasive coding bias we observed, and we provide recommendations to counteract this bias in review studies. Until coding bias is addressed, we argue that this literature should not inform conclusions about psychopaths' neurobiology, especially in forensic contexts.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.654336/fullpsychopathPCL-RsMRIreview studiessystematic reviewcoding bias |
| spellingShingle | Jarkko Jalava Stephanie Griffiths Stephanie Griffiths Rasmus Rosenberg Larsen B. Emma Alcott Is the Psychopathic Brain an Artifact of Coding Bias? A Systematic Review Frontiers in Psychology psychopath PCL-R sMRI review studies systematic review coding bias |
| title | Is the Psychopathic Brain an Artifact of Coding Bias? A Systematic Review |
| title_full | Is the Psychopathic Brain an Artifact of Coding Bias? A Systematic Review |
| title_fullStr | Is the Psychopathic Brain an Artifact of Coding Bias? A Systematic Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Is the Psychopathic Brain an Artifact of Coding Bias? A Systematic Review |
| title_short | Is the Psychopathic Brain an Artifact of Coding Bias? A Systematic Review |
| title_sort | is the psychopathic brain an artifact of coding bias a systematic review |
| topic | psychopath PCL-R sMRI review studies systematic review coding bias |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.654336/full |
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