p-Hacking: A Strategic Analysis

Abstract

The phenomenon of p-hacking occurs when researchers engage in questionable practices that enable them to report findings as being statistically significant. I offer four models of p-hacking behavior – unconditional, strategic, greedy, and restrained – and explore the implications of each model. I discuss the implications of recent reforms (routine replication, pre- registration, and blinded data analysis) with respect to these models.

Keywords: replicability, research integrity, statistical inference, motivated reasoning

JEL Classification: C12