Avoiding Bias in Publication Bias Research: The Value of 'Null' Findings

Journal of Business Psychology, DOI 10.1007/s10869-012-9279-0

21 Pages Posted: 27 Feb 2014

See all articles by Sven Kepes

Sven Kepes

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) - Department of Management

George C. Banks

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)

In‐Sue Oh

Temple University - Department of Human Resource Management

Date Written: 2012

Abstract

Meta-analytic reviews are an important tool for advancing science and guiding evidence-based practice. Publication bias is one of the greatest threats to meta-analytic reviews. This paper assesses the degree of publication bias in four previously published meta-analytic datasets from various fields of study in the organizational sciences. Of these datasets, one appears to be relatively unaffected by publication bias while the others seem to be noticeably influenced by this bias. Our ‘‘null’’ result (i.e., a prior meta-analytic estimate is unlikely to have been affected by publication bias) increases our confidence in the accuracy of our cumulative knowledge. Yet, our other findings suggest the presence of publication bias and point to the need for caution and further research.

Keywords: Meta-analysis, systematic reviews, publication bias, dissemination bias, null results

Suggested Citation

Kepes, Sven and Banks, George C. and Oh, In-Sue, Avoiding Bias in Publication Bias Research: The Value of 'Null' Findings (2012). Journal of Business Psychology, DOI 10.1007/s10869-012-9279-0, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2401109

Sven Kepes

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) - Department of Management ( email )

Richmond, VA 23284
United States

George C. Banks

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) ( email )

1015 Floyd Avenue
Richmond, VA 23284
United States

In-Sue Oh (Contact Author)

Temple University - Department of Human Resource Management ( email )

1801 Liacouras Walk
Alter Hall 343
Philadelphia, PA 19122
United States

HOME PAGE: http://www.fox.temple.edu/mcm_people/in-sue-oh/

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