A Primer on Bayesian Analysis for Experimental Psychopathologists

TY - JOUR

T1 - A Primer on Bayesian Analysis for Experimental Psychopathologists

AU - Krypotos, Angelos-Miltiadis

AU - Blanken, Tessa F

AU - Arnaudova, Inna

AU - Matzke, Dora

AU - Beckers, Tom

PY - 2017

Y1 - 2017

N2 - The principal goals of experimental psychopathology (EPP) research are to offer insights into the pathogenic mechanisms of mental disorders and to provide a stable ground for the development of clinical interventions. The main message of the present article is that those goals are better served by the adoption of Bayesian statistics than by the continued use of null-hypothesis significance testing (NHST). In the first part of the article we list the main disadvantages of NHST and explain why those disadvantages limit the conclusions that can be drawn from EPP research. Next, we highlight the advantages of Bayesian statistics. To illustrate, we then pit NHST and Bayesian analysis against each other using an experimental data set from our lab. Finally, we discuss some challenges when adopting Bayesian statistics. We hope that the present article will encourage experimental psychopathologists to embrace Bayesian statistics, which could strengthen the conclusions drawn from EPP research.

AB - The principal goals of experimental psychopathology (EPP) research are to offer insights into the pathogenic mechanisms of mental disorders and to provide a stable ground for the development of clinical interventions. The main message of the present article is that those goals are better served by the adoption of Bayesian statistics than by the continued use of null-hypothesis significance testing (NHST). In the first part of the article we list the main disadvantages of NHST and explain why those disadvantages limit the conclusions that can be drawn from EPP research. Next, we highlight the advantages of Bayesian statistics. To illustrate, we then pit NHST and Bayesian analysis against each other using an experimental data set from our lab. Finally, we discuss some challenges when adopting Bayesian statistics. We hope that the present article will encourage experimental psychopathologists to embrace Bayesian statistics, which could strengthen the conclusions drawn from EPP research.

KW - Journal Article

U2 - 10.5127/jep.057316

DO - 10.5127/jep.057316

M3 - Article

C2 - 28748068

SN - 2043-8087

VL - 8

SP - 140

EP - 157

JO - Journal of Experimental Psychopathology

JF - Journal of Experimental Psychopathology

IS - 2

ER -