A Transtheoretical Model of Open Science Adoption: A Survey Among Researchers Within Psychology

Graduation Year

2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree

Ph.D.

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Degree Granting Department

Psychology

Major Professor

Peter Clayson, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Edelyn Verona, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Diana Rancourt, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Joseph Vandello, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Robert Dedrick, Ph.D.

Keywords

metascience, open research, psychological science, stages of change

Abstract

Open science refers to practices that aim to improve the accessibility, transparency, inclusivity, and reproducibility of science. These practices can accelerate scientific innovation by increasing the accuracy and efficiency of the scientific process and by enhancing the translation of scientific knowledge beyond academia. However, inspiring researchers to adopt open science practices and make sustainable changes in their workflows remains a challenge. Even within psychology, a field that has been central to discussions of open science reform, there seems to be varying levels of readiness to adopt open science practices. This study aimed to support open science efforts by providing a nuanced, yet integrative, summary of the use of open science practices within psychology. Towards this goal, an online survey of attitudes towards and experiences with open science practices was administered to a large sample of psychology doctoral students and faculty within the United States. Results revealed that while most academic psychology researchers within the sample (N = 726) have begun adopting open science practices, there is quite a bit of variation in the types of practices being used and the attitudes toward open science. Furthermore, when results were stratified by subfield, research method, and career stage, interesting individual differences emerged in open science scholarship. Finally, by incorporating the Transtheoretical (“Stages of Change”) Model of behavior change, this study provides novel insights on psychology researchers’ motivational readiness to adopt open science practices. Findings from this study highlight important areas of opportunity and challenge as psychology shifts from using “closed” to “open” science practices.

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