Topic 2 – Comparing Models

Class Activity 1 – Parsimony (25 minutes, 50-100 words)

What is the meaning of parsimony?

The law of parsimony is described as favoring the simpler accurate explanation above the more
intricate ones for mental processes and behaviors. Science values simplicity because it enables
people to make intelligent choices. By using parsimonious explanations, scientists and
researchers can avoid underlying assumptions that aren't backed up. Most significantly, it offers
clear insightful information than if the more complicated answer had been chosen.
Class Activity 2 – (25 minutes, 50-200 words)

Book: Wixted, J., & Wagenmakers, E.J. (2018). Steven’s Handbook of Experimental Psychology.
John Wiley & Sons.

Do you agree that the parsimonious approach is an appropriate practice in psychological

research?

Yes, I do believe the parsimonious approach is an appropriate practice in psychological research.

The study revealed that the best-fitting model did not always generalize effectively, as stated in
the paper. A more complicated or saturated model often only fits into one data set as opposed
to several data sets. This indicates that, in contrast to a simple model, those models do not
generalize well. This is crucial in psychology research because it enables researchers to draw
conclusions about their findings by using their findings in real-world contexts. Above all,
parsimony encourages generalization. A shorter explanation has more external validity than a
more complex one, prevents underlying causes from being unsupported, and avoids leaping to
conclusions. An important area of psychological research, for instance, is applied behavior
modification analysis (ABA). The application of basic behavioral principles, generalizability, and
the rejection of speculative assumptions are a few aspects of ABA supported by parsimony.
Thus, psychological research might suffer from effects like confirmation bias if a parsimonious
approach is not used.
Class Activity 3 – Journal of Articles in Support of the Null Hypothesis (25 minutes, 50-150
words).

Article: Rouder, J.N., Engelhardt, C.R., McCabe, S. et al. Model comparison in ANOVA. Psychon
Bull Rev 23, 1779-1786 (2016). https://doi.org/10.3758/s13423-016-1026-5

Do you agree that researchers should take this “backward” approach that may potentially
conclude that the null model is the best fitted one in published studies?

Absolutely, I agree, and I think studies that conclude the null hypothesis is the best fitted model
should still be published. The null hypothesis in research is usually set as the default assumption
that there is no effect that has taken place and that there is no association between the
variables. The research question, the data, and the analysis's findings all contribute to the
decision of the best-fit model or hypothesis. According to the study, accepting the null model
offers "more distinct theoretical findings than typical ANOVA F-tests," enabling theoretical
improvements, improved comprehension, and practical applications (Rouder et al, 2016). If this
is the case and the data analysis shows that the null model is more likely to be the best-fit than
the alternative model, the study should still be published.