An overview of the replicability, generalizability and practical relevance of eyewitness testimony research in the Journal of Criminal Psychology

Abstract

Purpose: Before psychological research is used for policy reforms and recommendations, it is important to evaluate its replicability, generalizability, and practical relevance. In the present article, we examined these three criteria for published articles in the Journal of Criminal Psychology. Methodology: Through a literature search for published articles in the Journal of Criminal Psychology related to the topics of the special issue Contemporary Developments in the Retrieval and Evaluation of Witness Testimony: Towards making research more applicable to investigations, we identified 158 eligible articles. For each article, we extracted variables related to the type of article, reported p-values, type of sample and stimuli, power analyses and conducted analyses, and how effect sizes were used and interpreted. We analyzed these variables descriptively and conducted a z-curve analysis. Findings: In terms of generalizability, the articles examined populations of interest (e.g., offenders, prisoners) and there was no sole reliance on WEIRD samples. However, for replicability, there were currently no replication studies or published Registered Reports and the z-curve analysis indicated a low expected replication rate. Moreover, when examining practical relevance, almost no power analyses were conducted and when they were conducted, they were not reproducible or did not use meaningful effect sizes. Finally, although the majority of studies reported effect sizes, they were oftentimes not interpreted. Originality: The present study sheds light on the potential societal impact of published articles in the Journal of Criminal Psychology.