SSC
Partial Retraction Of Post On Animal Value And Neural Number
Scott Alexander partially retracts his previous post on animal value and neural number after a commenter's larger survey yielded different results.
2 min read 296 words
A thread through the archive
study critique
Essays tagged “study critique”. Follow an idea across the archive.
Essays on study critique
269 essaysSSC
Kernel Of Doubt: Testing Math Preference Vs. Corn-Eating Style
Scott Alexander tests the claim that mathematicians' preference for algebra or analysis predicts their corn-eating style, finding no significant correlation in a survey of over 2,600 respondents.
8 min read 1,212 words
SSC
What Happened To 90s Environmentalism?
Scott Alexander examines the fate of 1990s environmental concerns, finding a mix of solved problems, exaggerated issues, and ongoing challenges that have faded from public attention.
44 min read 6,792 words
SSC
Preschool: Much More Than You Wanted To Know
Scott Alexander critically examines studies on preschool effects, finding mixed and inconsistent evidence for long-term benefits.
35 min read 5,299 words
SSC
Marijuana: An Update
Scott updates his stance on marijuana legalization based on new data showing increased traffic accidents, but remains uncertain due to the complexity of the issue.
7 min read 952 words
SSC
Preschool: I Was Wrong
Scott Alexander admits he was wrong about preschool programs like Head Start, discussing new evidence of their long-term benefits and considering the implications for understanding environmental effects and policy.
9 min read 1,271 words
SSC
[ACC Entry] Should Transgender Children Transition?
This Adversarial Collaboration Contest entry examines the evidence and debates surrounding transgender children transitioning, covering desistence rates, social transitioning, puberty blockers, and mental health outcomes.
44 min read 6,739 words
SSC
[ACC Entry] Does The Education System Adequately Serve Advanced Students?
TracingWoodgrains and Michael Pershan analyze the effectiveness of ability grouping, acceleration, and personalization software in serving advanced students in the education system.
61 min read 9,387 words
SSC
Carbon Dioxide: An Open Door Policy
Scott Alexander explores research on how high indoor CO2 levels may impair cognition and sleep, suggesting simple solutions like better ventilation.
11 min read 1,591 words
SSC
SSC Survey: Scattered Negative Results
Scott Alexander reports on weak correlations and inconclusive results from the latest SSC survey on optical illusions and visual perception.
8 min read 1,180 words
SSC
SSC Survey Results: ADHD And Rejection Sensitivity
Scott analyzes survey data to test the claim that rejection sensitivity is a key feature of ADHD, finding limited support and emphasizing caution in adopting such ideas without formal research.
12 min read 1,719 words
SSC
Before You Get Too Excited About That Trigger Warning Study…
Scott Alexander critiques a misreported study on trigger warnings, highlighting its flaws and limited relevance to the broader debate on their use in colleges.
11 min read 1,692 words
SSC
Cancer Progress: Much More Than You Wanted To Know
Scott Alexander examines conflicting narratives about cancer treatment progress, analyzing data to show that while some improvements are due to social factors, there's evidence of genuine advancements in cancer treatment and outcomes.
14 min read 2,168 words
SSC
Melatonin: Much More Than You Wanted To Know
Scott Alexander examines melatonin's effects, proper dosage, and uses for sleep disorders and circadian rhythm issues, emphasizing its dual role as a hypnotic and chronobiotic.
34 min read 5,247 words
SSC
Links 6/18: Linkonberry Jam
Scott Alexander shares a diverse collection of interesting links on topics ranging from science and politics to economics and culture, with brief commentary on many items.
20 min read 3,048 words
SSC
Highlights From The Comments On Survey Harassment Rates
Scott Alexander reviews and responds to comments on his survey about sexual harassment rates in different fields, addressing methodological issues and presenting additional demographic data.
15 min read 2,241 words
SSC
SSC Survey Results: Sexual Harassment Levels By Field
Scott Alexander analyzes survey data showing lower sexual harassment rates in STEM fields compared to other industries, contradicting media narratives, while urging caution and calling for more research.
19 min read 2,938 words
SSC
Are The Amish Unhappy? Super Happy? Just Meh?
Scott Alexander critically examines conflicting studies on Amish happiness levels, finding the research too unreliable to draw firm conclusions.
10 min read 1,521 words
SSC
SSC Journal Club: Cipriani On Antidepressants
Scott Alexander critically examines a major meta-analysis on antidepressant efficacy, noting potential biases and comparing its surprising drug rankings to his own previous analysis.
18 min read 2,764 words
SSC
Powerless Placebos
The post examines research suggesting placebos are largely ineffective, explores exceptions, and proposes explanations for observed placebo effects based on brain function and study design.
8 min read 1,173 words
SSC
Fight Me, Psychologists: Birth Order Effects Exist And Are Very Strong
Scott Alexander presents survey data showing a strong overrepresentation of oldest siblings among his blog readers, challenging the view that birth order effects are negligible.
12 min read 1,803 words
SSC
SSC Journal Club: Serotonin Receptors
Scott reviews a theory about serotonin receptors that explains how they help cope with stress, and discusses its implications and limitations.
12 min read 1,756 words
SSC
Links 9/17: HURLy-bURLy
Scott Alexander shares interesting links on diverse topics including Russian life comparisons, AI developments, scientific discoveries, cultural evolution, and various research findings, with brief commentary on each.
14 min read 2,125 words
SSC
Links 8/17: Exsitement
A collection of interesting links covering science, technology, culture, and economics, including updates on DNA malware, AI gaming, prison censorship, and various scientific studies.
14 min read 2,162 words
SSC
Links 8/17: On The Site Of The Angels
A collection of interesting links covering medical research, sociology, politics, and technology, with brief commentary on each item.
15 min read 2,291 words