#8 - Bias, Replication, and Free Will: A Dialogue with Cory Clark

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Cory Clark about bias within the social sciences, the replication crisis, and the concepts of free will and determinism. They start by defining the social sciences and discussing the challenges and problems with the social sciences. There is a discussion about publication and research bias. An example of unconscious/ implicit bias and the controversy surrounding the Implicit Association Test (IAT)is used. They discuss the replication crisis and, more specifically, the challenges with some quantitative and qualitative studies replicating. They also talk about the value of meta-analyses for replication studies and discuss pragmatic solutions for improving research within the social sciences to truncate the replication crisis. Finally, they discuss free will and its correlation with moral retribution/punishment. They talk about the differences between free will and determinism and how one can maintain personal responsibility. Cory Clark is a social psychologist and current visiting scholar at the University of Pennsylvania where she continues to do research on morals, political polarization, and bias. You can find her scholarly and popular publications on her website. Twitter: @Iamhardcory  Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe