2023 was a year. I entered the year partway through my tenure as SIPS president. I have always been ambivalent about being in leadership roles. I don't particularly feel the need to be in charge, though like anyone, I do like being heard, and I like helping other people be heard. I think also sometimes groups like having me involved because I am an organizer at heart - I like to set systems up and get everyone on the same page so things can move forward. But I've never felt the desire, yearning, whatever, to be In Charge of Something.…

I had the honor to deliver the opening address to the Society for the Improvement of Psychological Science on June 22, 2023 in Padova, Italy, in my capacity as president. The following are my prepared remarks. (I also have a version of this on PsyArXiv.) Something they don’t tell you about presidential addresses is that they’re a little bit self-serving. I get to stand up here and say what I want without any peer review or oversight. So much power!  I guess the responsible thing to do would be to tell you all about the awesome things SIPS is responsible for, like…

Shortly after beginning my involvement with the Open Science Movement, I was at a conference talking to another early career researcher, someone I had just met. I don't remember which particular controversy we were discussing - there were a lot in the 2015-2017 era - but the issue of objectivity came up. At some point, I suggested quantitative researchers had a lot to learn about handling the subjectivity inherent in the scientific process, and I withheld a sigh as I processed my discussion partner's response. "Maybe qualitative researchers have to deal with that," he said, "but real research is objective."…

I was catching up on Everything Hertz when I landed on "Swiping Right" episode on academic rejection. Listening to how Dan and James handle rejection got me thinking about how I deal with academic rejection and what strategies may be more useful for folks, especially younger academics who are still trying to find their way. Let's face it: academics face a lot of rejection. There are far more undergraduates who want to go to graduate school than there are spots in graduate programs. There are more far graduating PhD students than there are postdoc or academic positions (for those who…

Every few months the same debate pops up in the open science circles in my Twitter feed, and we go round and round about whether people in general should sign their manuscript reviews. (The last time I saw it, it was an interesting Everything Hertz episode. Give it a listen, yeah?) That conversation eventually evolves into whether certain people (early career researchers (ECRs), folks from minority groups, big names, people sending in positive/negative reviews, etc.) should be signing their reviews. I’ve been meaning to write about it myself, as I find it helps me sort out my own opinions. I like the idea of…

I recently read Dr. Rachel Kowert‘s A Parent’s Guide to Video Games: The Essential Guide to Understanding How Video Games Impact Your Child’s Physical, Social, and Psychological Well-Being. This roughly 100-page guide is for parents who are interested in the research on video games. Specifically, the book discusses addiction, aggression and violent crime, cognitive development, physical and mental health, sexism and misogyny, social outcomes, and unintentional (positive) learning. Dr. Kowert also provides resources for additional reading and a FAQ section that addresses topics like stereotypes about gamers and content rating systems. A Parent’s Guide to Video Games is accessible, with pleasing illustrations by Jim…