Smriti Mehta and Daniël Lakens

Nullius in Verba

Science EN ↓ 100 episodes

Nullius in Verba is a podcast about science—what it is and what it could be. It is hosted by Smriti Mehta from UC Berkeley and Daniël Lakens from Eindhoven University of Technology.

Author

Smriti Mehta and Daniël Lakens

Category

Science

Podcast website

nulliusinverba.podbean.com

Latest episode

Apr 19, 2026

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Episodes

Episode 57: Censura 25.04.2025

Censorship in the Sciences: Interdisciplinary Perspectives Conference: https://dornsife.usc.edu/cesr/censorship-in-the-sciences-interdisciplinary-perspectives/     How Woke Warriors Destroyed Anthropology - Elizabeth Weiss https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpWN_CsuiRc&t=392s     Clark, C. J., Jussim, L., Frey, K., Stevens, S. T., Al-Gharbi, M., Aquino, K., ... & von Hippel, W. (2023). Prosoc...

Episode 56: Cur Plerumque Investigatio Publica Falsa Est 04.04.2025

Ioannidis, J. P. A. (2005). Why Most Published Research Findings Are False. PLoS Medicine, 2(8), e124. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.0020124 Neher, A. (1967). Probability Pyramiding, Research Error and the Need for Independent Replication. The Psychological Record, 17(2), 257–262. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03393713 Moonesinghe, R., Khoury, M. J., & Janssens, A. C. J. W. (2007). Most Pub...

Prologus 56: Probability Pyramiding (A. Neher) 28.03.2025

In preparation for our discussion of "Why Most Published Research Findings Are False" by John Ioannidis from 2005, we read a very similar paper published 40 years earlier: Neher, A. (1967). Probability Pyramiding, Research Error and the Need for Independent Replication. The Psychological Record, 17(2), 257–262. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03393713

Episode 55: Pseudoscientia 21.03.2025

In this episode, we discuss what separates science from pseudoscience and touch upon the demarcation problem, the recent controversial podcast called the Telepathy Tapes, and the movie Ghostbusters. Enjoy.    Shownotes McLean v. Arkansas  Pigliucci, M., & Boudry, M. (Eds.). (2019). Philosophy of pseudoscience: Reconsidering the demarcation problem. University of Chicago Press. Report of the Ro...

Episode 54: Fabulae Coniurationis 07.03.2025

Conspiracy Stories Show Notes:  Zeitgeist documentary: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeitgeist_(film_series) Podcast Drang naar Samenhang: https://podcasts.apple.com/nl/podcast/drang-naar-samenhang/id1584797552 This is not a conspiracy theory documentary. https://www.everythingisaremix.info/tinact   Parker, M. (2000). Human Science as Conspiracy Theory. The Sociological Review, 48(2_suppl), 191-20...

Episode 53: Fraus - II 21.02.2025

Broad, W. J., & Wade, N. (1983). Betrayers of the truth. New York : Simon and Schuster. http://archive.org/details/betrayersoftruth00broa Wolfgang Stroebe, Tom Postmes, & Russell Spears. (2012). Scientific Misconduct and the Myth of Self-Correction in Science. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 7(6), 670–688. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691612460687   Zotero can track if you are citing...

Episode 52: Fraus - I 07.02.2025

Babbage, C. (1830). Reflections on the Decline of Science in England: And on Some of Its Causes. B. Fellowes. Sokal, A. D. (1996). Transgressing the Boundaries: Toward a Transformative Hermeneutics of Quantum Gravity. Social Text, 46/47, 217. https://doi.org/10.2307/466856 Grievance studies: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grievance_studies_affair It is legal to own and/or read Mein Kampf in The Net...

Episode 51: Quinquagesimus - II 24.01.2025

In this special two-part celebration, we answer questions submitted by our listeners. Thanks to Don Moore, Leif Nelson, Henry Wyneken, Charlotte Pennington, and Karan Paranganat for the questions featured in this episode. And thank you for joining us for 50 episodes!   

Episode 50: Quinquagesimus - I 10.01.2025

In this special two-part celebration, we answer questions submitted by our listeners. Thanks to James Steele, Peder Isager, and Simen Leithe Tajet for the questions featured in this episode. And thank you for joining us for 50 episodes!    Shownotes Roger Scruton Quote   Borsboom, D., Mellenbergh, G. J., & van Heerden, J. (2003). The theoretical status of latent variables. Psychological Review...

Episode 49: Valor Scientiae Psychologicae 13.12.2024

You can listen to the podcast More of a Comment Than a Question here: https://moreofacomment.buzzsprout.com/ Our joint episode is a response to the episode ‘Final Final Final Comments’: https://moreofacomment.buzzsprout.com/1207223/episodes/16055645-final-final-final-comments

Prologus 49: We Have to Break Up (R. B. Cialdini) 06.12.2024

In preparation for our next episode, a joint recording with our friends from More of a Comment than a Question, we read a paper by Robert Cialdini about the value of social psychology for the general public.  Cialdini, R. B. (2009). We Have to Break Up. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 4(1), 5–6. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-6924.2009.01091.x

Episode 48: Defectum 29.11.2024

How I Fail. Blog by Veronika Cheplygina https://veronikach.com/category/how-i-fail/ Arkin, R. (2011). Most Underappreciated: 50 Prominent Social Psychologists Describe Their Most Unloved Work. Oxford University Press. Kerr, N. L. (1998). HARKing: Hypothesizing After the Results are Known. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 2(3), 196–217. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327957pspr0203_4 Sharpe, D...

Episode 47: Inductio et Deductio 15.11.2024

In this episode, we delve into induction and deduction and talk further about issues related to generalizability.    Shownotes Popper, K. The Logic of Scientific Discovery. (1953). Hutchinson &  Co. (Originally published in 1935) Yarkoni, T. (2022). The generalizability crisis. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 45, e1. Mook, D. G. (1983). In defense of external invalidity. American psychologist,...

Episode 46: Invaliditas Externa 01.11.2024

In this episode, we discuss the paper "In defense of external invalidity" by Douglas Mook.    Shownotes Mook, D. G. (1983). In defense of external invalidity. American Psychologist, 38(4), 379–387. Mook, D. G. (1989). The myth of external validity. Everyday cognition in adulthood and late life, 25-43. The case of Phineas Gage was written up: Harlow, J. M. (1848). Passage of an iron rod through the...

Prologus 46: In Defense of External Invalidity (D. G. Mook) 25.10.2024

A reading of the paper In Defense of External Invalidty by Douglas G. Mook, which will be discussed in the next episode.  Mook, D. G. (1983). In defense of external invalidity. American Psychologist, 38(4), 379–387. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.38.4.379

Episode 45: Apprenticiatus 18.10.2024

In this episode, we discuss the role of apprenticeship in training scientists and researchers. What’s the difference between traditional apprenticeship and cognitive apprenticeship? Does graduate training live up to its promise as an apprenticeship model? What can we do to improve the modeling of skills that are to be taught during graduate training?    Shownotes Collins, A., Brown, J. S., & H...

Episode 44: Reprehensio Scientiae Aperta 04.10.2024

This is a live episode, recorded in Växjö, Sweden (Linnaeus university) on September 24, 2024, at the 5th meeting of the Open Science Community Sweden and the Swedish Reproducibility Network. Thanks to André Kalmendal at Mono ( https://monovaxjo.se ) for recording the episode. 

Episode 43: Historia Casus Methodi Scientifica 20.09.2024

In this episode, we discuss the paper "A case history in scientific method" by B. F. Skinner   Shownotes Skinner, B. F. (1956). A case history in scientific method. American psychologist, 11(5), 221. Richter, C. P. (1953). Free research versus design research. Science, 118(3056), 91–93. https://archive.org/details/WaldenTwoChapter01  

Prologus 43: A Case Study in Scientific Method (Skinner) 13.09.2024

In preparation for the next episode, in which we discuss this paper, here is a reading of:  Skinner, B. F. (1956). A case history in scientific method. American Psychologist, 11(5), 221-233.

Episode 42: Aestimatio Scriptorum 06.09.2024

In today’s episode, we discuss critically reading and appraising scientific articles. How do we select which articles to read carefully? Which heuristics are useful for assessing paper quality? And do open science practices actually lead to better quality papers? Enjoy.    Shownotes Bacon, F. (1625). Of Studies .  PNAS Submissions contributed by NAS members "The contributing member submits the man...

Episode 41: Sodalitates Academicae 23.08.2024

In this episode, we talk about academic societies, professional organizations, and academic advocacy groups, focusing primarily on the discipline of psychology. What are their roles and responsibilities? Is it necessary for researchers to join such organizations? And should we bring back scholarly soirees? Enjoy.    Shownotes Royal Society Referee Reports Psychological Science APA Divisions Consis...

Episode 40: Tabula de Ethicis Recensionibus 09.08.2024

In this episode, we discuss review boards for research with human subjects. Are they necessary? Are they efficient? Are scientists well equipped to make judgements about ethics? And are economists more ethical than psychologists?    Shownotes Whitney, S. N. (2015). Balanced ethics review: A guide for institutional review board members. Springer. Schrag, Z. M. (2010). Ethical imperialism: Instituti...

Episode 39: Activismus 27.07.2024

In this episode, we discuss activism in science. How do political and personal values affect science? When is activism just part of the job? And should one be careful about activism in the classroom? Enjoy.     Shownotes:  Frisby, C. L., Redding, R. E., & O’Donohue, W. T. (2023). Ideological and Political Bias in Psychology: An Introduction. In Ideological and Political Bias in Psychology: Nat...

Episode 38 - Replicatio - II 12.07.2024

In this episode, we continue our discussion of replications. We talk about how to analyze replication studies, which studies are worth replicating, and what is the status of replications in other scientific disciplines.    Shownotes Mack, R. W. (1951). The Need for Replication Research in Sociology. American Sociological Review, 16(1), 93–94. https://doi.org/10.2307/2087978 Smith, N. C. (1970). Re...

Episode 37: Replicatio - I 28.06.2024

In the next two episodes, we will discuss replication studies, which are essential to building reliable scientific knowledge.   Shownotes Mack, R. W. (1951). The Need for Replication Research in Sociology. American Sociological Review, 16(1), 93–94. https://doi.org/10.2307/2087978 Smith, N. C. (1970). Replication studies: A neglected aspect of psychological research. American Psychologist, 25(10),...

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