With the growth of controversies conducted through blogs the really existing norms in various scientific disciplines can sometimes be revealed (perhaps unintentionally). In this blistering post, Yale Psychologist, John A. Bargh, Ph.D., criticizes a study that had not replicated his earlier results. Here I ignore the substance of his charges (for useful criticism see here). In his criticism he vehemently attacks the online journal, PLoS ON. But he follows with a most revealing, self-undermining comment: "If I'd been asked to review it (oddly for an article that purported to fail to replicate one of my past studies, I wasn't) I could have pointed out at that time the technical flaws." The parenthesis teaches us that the (once-standard?) norm among the peer-reviewed journals in his niche is that if one is targeted (and high status?) one can expects to be the referee. Perhaps, the vehemence of the little spat is indicative that an old-boys-network is on the way out? [Hat-tips to Bryce Huebner and Antti Kauppinen on Facebook.]
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