Reconstruction of the Reproducibility Problem of Research through Examination of the Robustness of Scientific Theories

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K00029
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 01010:Philosophy and ethics-related
• Research Institution: Hiroshima University (2023); Shinshu University (2021-2022)
• Principal Investigator: Nouchi Rei 広島大学, 高等教育研究開発センター, 准教授 (60757780)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 研究倫理 / 研究公正 / 研究の再現性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we analyzed the actual state of the reproducibility problem of research in the humanities and social sciences from the viewpoint of traceability of the argumentation based on a cross-disciplinary questionnaire, a web survey, and interviews at academic conferences. The focus was on 1) the influence of the intervention of the third-party process of research ethics review, and 2) rational reconstruction in the publication of research results. In regard to the first point, we examined the differences between medical/psychological sciences and other humanities and social sciences using quantitative analysis. The examination of the second point reveals that the reproducibility problem in the humanities and social sciences can be reformulated as an epistemological and meta-scientific question as "what is the structure of valid knowledge claims in research."

Free Research Field

科学哲学、研究倫理、研究公正

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

研究者は客観的な根拠を持って研究活動の成果を発表する。そこで活用されている基本的なデータ等に捏造・改ざんがあると、当該研究成果を他者が検証することは困難になる。しかしながら研究の再現性は昨今騒がれているような研究不正防止という目的からではなく、学術知の蓄積という基本において重要なのである。本研究には、学術分野を横断した調査から再現性を捉え直し、研究者の責任を再考するという意義がある。