Once Is Not Enough

One study finding an effect is a lead, not a fact. The result might be chance, a quirk of the sample or a hidden flaw in the method. Replication means that other researchers run the same test, with new people, and see whether the effect appears again.

Some famous findings have not held up. A claim that standing in a confident pose for two minutes changes hormones and behavior was not borne out by larger repeats, and one of its original authors has since said the effect should not be relied on.

So check for repeats. A result seen by several independent teams, in different places, deserves more trust than a single eye-catching one. When only one lab has found something dramatic, hold it lightly.

The power pose

Rae reads that a two-minute pose makes people feel more powerful and take more risks. She is ready to try it before her interview.

Her friend, a researcher, says, “That was a small study. Larger ones have not found the effect.” Rae still stands tall because it feels good, but she no longer expects it to change her chances.

Try this today When you read a surprising result, look for whether anyone else has repeated it.