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Experiments make a good breakfast, but a poor supper

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 May 2022

Jolanda Jetten
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, 4072 QLD, Australia. j.jetten@psy.uq.edu.au; https://psychology.uq.edu.au/profile/2317/jolanda-jetten; h.selvanathan@uq.edu.au; https://psychology.uq.edu.au/profile/7410/hema-preya-selvanathan; c.crimston@uq.edu.au; https://psychology.uq.edu.au/profile/2698/charlie-crimston; s.bentley@uq.edu.au; https://psychology.uq.edu.au/profile/2536/sarah-bentley; a.haslam@uq.edu.au; https://psychology.uq.edu.au/profile/3181/alex-haslam
Hema Preya Selvanathan
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, 4072 QLD, Australia. j.jetten@psy.uq.edu.au; https://psychology.uq.edu.au/profile/2317/jolanda-jetten; h.selvanathan@uq.edu.au; https://psychology.uq.edu.au/profile/7410/hema-preya-selvanathan; c.crimston@uq.edu.au; https://psychology.uq.edu.au/profile/2698/charlie-crimston; s.bentley@uq.edu.au; https://psychology.uq.edu.au/profile/2536/sarah-bentley; a.haslam@uq.edu.au; https://psychology.uq.edu.au/profile/3181/alex-haslam
Charlie R. Crimston
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, 4072 QLD, Australia. j.jetten@psy.uq.edu.au; https://psychology.uq.edu.au/profile/2317/jolanda-jetten; h.selvanathan@uq.edu.au; https://psychology.uq.edu.au/profile/7410/hema-preya-selvanathan; c.crimston@uq.edu.au; https://psychology.uq.edu.au/profile/2698/charlie-crimston; s.bentley@uq.edu.au; https://psychology.uq.edu.au/profile/2536/sarah-bentley; a.haslam@uq.edu.au; https://psychology.uq.edu.au/profile/3181/alex-haslam
Sarah V. Bentley
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, 4072 QLD, Australia. j.jetten@psy.uq.edu.au; https://psychology.uq.edu.au/profile/2317/jolanda-jetten; h.selvanathan@uq.edu.au; https://psychology.uq.edu.au/profile/7410/hema-preya-selvanathan; c.crimston@uq.edu.au; https://psychology.uq.edu.au/profile/2698/charlie-crimston; s.bentley@uq.edu.au; https://psychology.uq.edu.au/profile/2536/sarah-bentley; a.haslam@uq.edu.au; https://psychology.uq.edu.au/profile/3181/alex-haslam
S. Alexander Haslam
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, 4072 QLD, Australia. j.jetten@psy.uq.edu.au; https://psychology.uq.edu.au/profile/2317/jolanda-jetten; h.selvanathan@uq.edu.au; https://psychology.uq.edu.au/profile/7410/hema-preya-selvanathan; c.crimston@uq.edu.au; https://psychology.uq.edu.au/profile/2698/charlie-crimston; s.bentley@uq.edu.au; https://psychology.uq.edu.au/profile/2536/sarah-bentley; a.haslam@uq.edu.au; https://psychology.uq.edu.au/profile/3181/alex-haslam

Abstract

Cesario's analysis has three key flaws. First, the focus on whether an effect is “real” (an “effects flaw”) overlooks the importance of theory testing. Second, obsession with effects (a “fetishization flaw”) sidelines theoretically informed questions about when and why an effect may arise. Third, failure to take stock of cultural and historical context (a “decontextualization flaw”) strips findings of meaning.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press

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