A creative destruction approach to replication: Implicit work and sex morality across cultures

Citation

Tierney W, Hardy J, Ebersole CR, Viganola D, Clemente EG, Gordon M, Hoogeveen S, Haaf J, Dreber A, Johannesson M, Pfeiffer T, Huang JL, Vaughn LA, DeMarree K & Collaboration C&WMF (2021) A creative destruction approach to replication: Implicit work and sex morality across cultures. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 93, Art. No.: 104060. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2020.104060

Abstract
How can we maximize what is learned from a replication study? In the creative destruction approach to replication, the original hypothesis is compared not only to the null hypothesis, but also to predictions derived from multiple alternative theoretical accounts of the phenomenon. To this end, new populations and measures are included in the design in addition to the original ones, to help determine which theory best accounts for the results across multiple key outcomes and contexts. The present pre-registered empirical project compared the Implicit Puritanism account of intuitive work and sex morality to theories positing regional, religious, and social class differences; explicit rather than implicit cultural differences in values; self-expression vs. survival values as a key cultural fault line; the general moralization of work; and false positive effects. Contradicting Implicit Puritanism's core theoretical claim of a distinct American work morality, a number of targeted findings replicated across multiple comparison cultures, whereas several failed to replicate in all samples and were identified as likely false positives. No support emerged for theories predicting regional variability and specific individual-differences moderators (religious affiliation, religiosity, and education level). Overall, the results provide evidence that work is intuitively moralized across cultures.

Keywords
Replication; Theory testing; Falsification; Implicit social cognition; Priming; Work values; Culture

Notes
Additional co-authors: Eric Igou, Hanah Chapman, Ana Gantman, Matthew Vanaman, Jordan Wylie, Justin Storbeck, Michael R Andreychik, Jon McPhetres, Eric Luis Uhlmann Names and affiliations for the Culture & Work Morality Forecasting Collaboration are in Appendix A

Journal
Journal of Experimental Social Psychology: Volume 93