Table 1 Key issues and potential solutions for improving methodological standards for the field of human intranasal oxytocin research.
Issue | How this issue hinders translation | Potential solutions |
|---|---|---|
Researcher bias in analytic decisions | Biased studies are less likely to replicate | Detailed pre-registrations or Registered Reports |
Underrepresentation of females | Most research is only applicable to males | More studies with female populations |
Few studies have been replicated | It is unclear which results are robust | More direct replication studies |
Open data and analysis scripts | Reported results are harder to verify | Obtain consent to share anonymized data or create synthetic data |
Interpreting non-significant results | It is difficult to falsify hypotheses | Equivalence testing and Bayesian hypothesis testing |
Domain-specific theories | Difficult to interpret results in new domains | Development of theories that are applicable across broad domains |
Low statistical power | Studies are less likely to replicate | Within-participant designs and one-sided tests (when warranted) |
Generalizability of results | Results cannot be generalized to other populations | Identify which findings from neurotypical populations replicate in clinical groups |
