Patrick S. Forscher
@psforscher.bsky.social
Director of the CREME developmental meta-research team at Busara, a non-profit that does behavioral science in service of poverty alleviation. https://patrickforscher.com/
psychology is notably worse in its national diversity than economics; compare the national origin of first authored papers over time in psych (left) and economics (right)
(from the missing majority dashboard)
remi-theriault.com/dashboards/m...
(from the missing majority dashboard)
remi-theriault.com/dashboards/m...
November 14, 2025 at 5:41 AM
psychology is notably worse in its national diversity than economics; compare the national origin of first authored papers over time in psych (left) and economics (right)
(from the missing majority dashboard)
remi-theriault.com/dashboards/m...
(from the missing majority dashboard)
remi-theriault.com/dashboards/m...
How should the behavioral sciences be mainstreamed into public health? How would we know if this goal is achieved?
With the WHO Behavioural Insights Unit, my team has been working on these questions.
Curious what we came up with? Check out the public consultation below
www.who.int/news-room/ar...
With the WHO Behavioural Insights Unit, my team has been working on these questions.
Curious what we came up with? Check out the public consultation below
www.who.int/news-room/ar...
September 3, 2025 at 3:37 PM
How should the behavioral sciences be mainstreamed into public health? How would we know if this goal is achieved?
With the WHO Behavioural Insights Unit, my team has been working on these questions.
Curious what we came up with? Check out the public consultation below
www.who.int/news-room/ar...
With the WHO Behavioural Insights Unit, my team has been working on these questions.
Curious what we came up with? Check out the public consultation below
www.who.int/news-room/ar...
We expected that East African experts would be more skeptical of the generalizability of the research they assessed than would the original repliCATS experts.
To our surprise, we found the opposite! In fact, across all dimensions of credibility, our East African researchers were more optimistic
3/
To our surprise, we found the opposite! In fact, across all dimensions of credibility, our East African researchers were more optimistic
3/
July 28, 2025 at 6:27 PM
We expected that East African experts would be more skeptical of the generalizability of the research they assessed than would the original repliCATS experts.
To our surprise, we found the opposite! In fact, across all dimensions of credibility, our East African researchers were more optimistic
3/
To our surprise, we found the opposite! In fact, across all dimensions of credibility, our East African researchers were more optimistic
3/
New working paper led by Jaspreet Singh: osf.io/preprints/ps...
Some of you may know about repliCATS, in which (mostly Global North) experts used structured peer review to judge judge the credibility of behavioral research.
We used the same method with behavioral scientists from around Nairobi
1/
Some of you may know about repliCATS, in which (mostly Global North) experts used structured peer review to judge judge the credibility of behavioral research.
We used the same method with behavioral scientists from around Nairobi
1/
July 28, 2025 at 6:27 PM
New working paper led by Jaspreet Singh: osf.io/preprints/ps...
Some of you may know about repliCATS, in which (mostly Global North) experts used structured peer review to judge judge the credibility of behavioral research.
We used the same method with behavioral scientists from around Nairobi
1/
Some of you may know about repliCATS, in which (mostly Global North) experts used structured peer review to judge judge the credibility of behavioral research.
We used the same method with behavioral scientists from around Nairobi
1/
SOBC Measure repository -> SOBC Repository
We just pushed an update to the SOBC Measure repository to broaden it to include not just measures of mental processes, but also intervention protocols and indicators of behavior.
repository.scienceofbehaviorchange.org
1/2
We just pushed an update to the SOBC Measure repository to broaden it to include not just measures of mental processes, but also intervention protocols and indicators of behavior.
repository.scienceofbehaviorchange.org
1/2
July 7, 2025 at 1:07 PM
SOBC Measure repository -> SOBC Repository
We just pushed an update to the SOBC Measure repository to broaden it to include not just measures of mental processes, but also intervention protocols and indicators of behavior.
repository.scienceofbehaviorchange.org
1/2
We just pushed an update to the SOBC Measure repository to broaden it to include not just measures of mental processes, but also intervention protocols and indicators of behavior.
repository.scienceofbehaviorchange.org
1/2
In most prior years, I would have spent the past few weeks at #SIPS2025 and #Metascience2025. This year, I did not attend.
This happened for two reasons. First, I was busy supporting @engys.bsky.social to put on our own conference: #ESAAfrica2025, the premier conference for experimental economics
This happened for two reasons. First, I was busy supporting @engys.bsky.social to put on our own conference: #ESAAfrica2025, the premier conference for experimental economics
July 2, 2025 at 9:38 PM
In most prior years, I would have spent the past few weeks at #SIPS2025 and #Metascience2025. This year, I did not attend.
This happened for two reasons. First, I was busy supporting @engys.bsky.social to put on our own conference: #ESAAfrica2025, the premier conference for experimental economics
This happened for two reasons. First, I was busy supporting @engys.bsky.social to put on our own conference: #ESAAfrica2025, the premier conference for experimental economics
I am so stoked that this working paper is finally out. This method has a lot of potential to help improve upon some long-standing problems in development, such as de-contextualized interventions & entrenched power hierarchies within research teams
May 5, 2025 at 7:04 PM
I am so stoked that this working paper is finally out. This method has a lot of potential to help improve upon some long-standing problems in development, such as de-contextualized interventions & entrenched power hierarchies within research teams
New working paper from my team: "Citizen ethnography: co-producing evidence for development"
Mario Schmidt and our colleague, Ben Eyre, have been developing a participatory research method in which citizens are trained as ethnographic researchers.
Curious?
busara.global/our-works/ci...
Mario Schmidt and our colleague, Ben Eyre, have been developing a participatory research method in which citizens are trained as ethnographic researchers.
Curious?
busara.global/our-works/ci...
May 5, 2025 at 7:01 PM
New working paper from my team: "Citizen ethnography: co-producing evidence for development"
Mario Schmidt and our colleague, Ben Eyre, have been developing a participatory research method in which citizens are trained as ethnographic researchers.
Curious?
busara.global/our-works/ci...
Mario Schmidt and our colleague, Ben Eyre, have been developing a participatory research method in which citizens are trained as ethnographic researchers.
Curious?
busara.global/our-works/ci...
What relevance does the replication crisis have for non-academic research, such as the methods used to evaluate social programs?
In a new paper with Ben McNamee and Michael Lenczner, we argue that the answer could be quite a lot
Article: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
OA: osf.io/6hevp
In a new paper with Ben McNamee and Michael Lenczner, we argue that the answer could be quite a lot
Article: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
OA: osf.io/6hevp
February 22, 2025 at 4:47 PM
What relevance does the replication crisis have for non-academic research, such as the methods used to evaluate social programs?
In a new paper with Ben McNamee and Michael Lenczner, we argue that the answer could be quite a lot
Article: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
OA: osf.io/6hevp
In a new paper with Ben McNamee and Michael Lenczner, we argue that the answer could be quite a lot
Article: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
OA: osf.io/6hevp
Going to #spsp2025? Curious to see the first release of the results of a big team science test of stereotype threat theory on Black college students involving 2,513 participants?
Then you may want to check out the following talk, presented by my co-lead Valerie Taylor on Friday, 3:15pm, 21 February
Then you may want to check out the following talk, presented by my co-lead Valerie Taylor on Friday, 3:15pm, 21 February
February 19, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Going to #spsp2025? Curious to see the first release of the results of a big team science test of stereotype threat theory on Black college students involving 2,513 participants?
Then you may want to check out the following talk, presented by my co-lead Valerie Taylor on Friday, 3:15pm, 21 February
Then you may want to check out the following talk, presented by my co-lead Valerie Taylor on Friday, 3:15pm, 21 February
Curious about how an applied behavioral science organization in the Global South thinks about its impact? Then check Busara's annual report on this topic.
It contains my contribution, which argues for qualitative rather than strictly quantitative impact assessments
busara.global/our-works/ta...
It contains my contribution, which argues for qualitative rather than strictly quantitative impact assessments
busara.global/our-works/ta...
February 7, 2025 at 9:23 AM
Curious about how an applied behavioral science organization in the Global South thinks about its impact? Then check Busara's annual report on this topic.
It contains my contribution, which argues for qualitative rather than strictly quantitative impact assessments
busara.global/our-works/ta...
It contains my contribution, which argues for qualitative rather than strictly quantitative impact assessments
busara.global/our-works/ta...
You may have heard of Questionable Research Practices and "HARKing" as threats to replicability.
In a new paper led by @sakshighai.bsky.social, we argue that a similar practices -- Questionable Generalizability Practices and "MASKing" -- undermine generalizability.
www.nature.com/articles/s44...
In a new paper led by @sakshighai.bsky.social, we argue that a similar practices -- Questionable Generalizability Practices and "MASKing" -- undermine generalizability.
www.nature.com/articles/s44...
January 30, 2025 at 6:34 PM
You may have heard of Questionable Research Practices and "HARKing" as threats to replicability.
In a new paper led by @sakshighai.bsky.social, we argue that a similar practices -- Questionable Generalizability Practices and "MASKing" -- undermine generalizability.
www.nature.com/articles/s44...
In a new paper led by @sakshighai.bsky.social, we argue that a similar practices -- Questionable Generalizability Practices and "MASKing" -- undermine generalizability.
www.nature.com/articles/s44...
For anyone interested in science history, the quoted paper is a nice exploration that go into negotiating the boundaries around and within disciplines, using psychology as a case study
November 28, 2024 at 9:36 PM
For anyone interested in science history, the quoted paper is a nice exploration that go into negotiating the boundaries around and within disciplines, using psychology as a case study
Yup, texting from our new apartment in Nairobi 😊
November 16, 2024 at 12:40 PM
Yup, texting from our new apartment in Nairobi 😊
The database now also has a full data paper at the Journal of Open Psychology Data describing the motivations for the database, as well as its construction, structure, and use
openpsychologydata.metajnl.com/articles/10....
openpsychologydata.metajnl.com/articles/10....
September 12, 2024 at 7:32 AM
The database now also has a full data paper at the Journal of Open Psychology Data describing the motivations for the database, as well as its construction, structure, and use
openpsychologydata.metajnl.com/articles/10....
openpsychologydata.metajnl.com/articles/10....
Have you heard of the @forrt.bsky.social Replications Database led by @aufdroeseler.bsky.social?
This amazing resource aggregates information about 3350 replications of 1093 original studies, allowing for easy search & meta-research on replicability.
forrt-replications.shinyapps.io/fred_explorer/
This amazing resource aggregates information about 3350 replications of 1093 original studies, allowing for easy search & meta-research on replicability.
forrt-replications.shinyapps.io/fred_explorer/
September 12, 2024 at 7:29 AM
Have you heard of the @forrt.bsky.social Replications Database led by @aufdroeseler.bsky.social?
This amazing resource aggregates information about 3350 replications of 1093 original studies, allowing for easy search & meta-research on replicability.
forrt-replications.shinyapps.io/fred_explorer/
This amazing resource aggregates information about 3350 replications of 1093 original studies, allowing for easy search & meta-research on replicability.
forrt-replications.shinyapps.io/fred_explorer/
Have you wondered how your favorite journal performs in terms of the global diversity of its lead authors?
remi-theriault.com/dashboards/m...
remi-theriault.com/dashboards/m...
August 6, 2024 at 12:38 PM
Have you wondered how your favorite journal performs in terms of the global diversity of its lead authors?
remi-theriault.com/dashboards/m...
remi-theriault.com/dashboards/m...
Introducing the Missing Majority dashboard, an automatically updating resource that tracks the global representation of behavioral science first authors over time.
remi-theriault.com/dashboards/m...
Wanna know how your favorite journal performs? Check it out 😁
Let us know what you think!
remi-theriault.com/dashboards/m...
Wanna know how your favorite journal performs? Check it out 😁
Let us know what you think!
August 5, 2024 at 12:01 PM
Introducing the Missing Majority dashboard, an automatically updating resource that tracks the global representation of behavioral science first authors over time.
remi-theriault.com/dashboards/m...
Wanna know how your favorite journal performs? Check it out 😁
Let us know what you think!
remi-theriault.com/dashboards/m...
Wanna know how your favorite journal performs? Check it out 😁
Let us know what you think!
Across 783 Africas from Burkina Faso, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, and Tanzania, participants judged severe harm transgressions as more wrong than less severe ones but were not sensitive to severity for purity transgressions. However we find deviations from the original study too
osf.io/preprints/af...
osf.io/preprints/af...
July 27, 2024 at 4:42 PM
Across 783 Africas from Burkina Faso, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, and Tanzania, participants judged severe harm transgressions as more wrong than less severe ones but were not sensitive to severity for purity transgressions. However we find deviations from the original study too
osf.io/preprints/af...
osf.io/preprints/af...
Feeling incredibly proud of my friend and colleague, Adeyemi Adetula, who successfully defended his dissertation yesterday
Ade has had many obstacles in his path to the PhD, and he not only finished — he excelled. His dissertation is the best I’ve seen.
Congratulations, Ade! 🥳
Ade has had many obstacles in his path to the PhD, and he not only finished — he excelled. His dissertation is the best I’ve seen.
Congratulations, Ade! 🥳
June 25, 2024 at 6:20 AM
Feeling incredibly proud of my friend and colleague, Adeyemi Adetula, who successfully defended his dissertation yesterday
Ade has had many obstacles in his path to the PhD, and he not only finished — he excelled. His dissertation is the best I’ve seen.
Congratulations, Ade! 🥳
Ade has had many obstacles in his path to the PhD, and he not only finished — he excelled. His dissertation is the best I’ve seen.
Congratulations, Ade! 🥳
Everything is set for the launch of our book on developmental meta-research as part of #SIPS2024.
I can’t wait to hear what folks think!
www.busara.global/our-works/a-...
I can’t wait to hear what folks think!
www.busara.global/our-works/a-...
June 11, 2024 at 2:56 PM
Everything is set for the launch of our book on developmental meta-research as part of #SIPS2024.
I can’t wait to hear what folks think!
www.busara.global/our-works/a-...
I can’t wait to hear what folks think!
www.busara.global/our-works/a-...
Eider Africa has been leading a team of organizations, as shown, to promote open peer review in Africa
June 10, 2024 at 2:05 PM
Eider Africa has been leading a team of organizations, as shown, to promote open peer review in Africa
Eider Africa, Aurelia’s organization, aim to incubate graduate students and reduce the loneliness that students report
June 10, 2024 at 2:00 PM
Eider Africa, Aurelia’s organization, aim to incubate graduate students and reduce the loneliness that students report