Article How ‘tiny shortcuts’ are poisoning science + APA plays both sides of gender debate

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How ‘tiny shortcuts’ are poisoning science
https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/how-t...g-science/

EXCERPT: The public no longer believes that scientists merely make honest mistakes on the long and winding road to truth. Instead, scientists are increasingly seen as partial, ideological agents, activists in an armchair, or, worse still, simply fraudsters who fabricate or manipulate data and tweak the specifications of their empirical models to get their desired results.

The credibility crisis of science is not about scientific progress invalidating previously held scientific beliefs, which is intrinsic to the very nature of scientific revolutions. Rather, the crisis has been caused by scientists who deliberately publish overconfident, misleading, and often simply false empirical results based on research designs or model specifications they have intentionally specified to give the desired results.

We call this practice “tweaking.” In extreme cases, published results rely on manipulated or outright fabricated data. Whether tweaked, manipulated, or fabricated, the results often cannot be replicated — not even if replication analysts use identical research designs... (MORE - details)

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The American Psychological Association plays both sides of the gender debate
https://www.city-journal.org/article/ame...rming-care

INTRO: In a recent New York Times guest essay, journalist Jesse Singal explained how U.S. medical associations—through a combination of mission drift, ideological zeal, and institutional incentives—became enthusiastic supporters of medical transition for gender-dysphoric minors.

Some associations have recently revised their positions. Last month, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons issued a position statement rejecting surgical interventions for minor patients, citing challenges to the evidence for these procedures. The American Medical Association soon followed suit. These decisions, as Singal notes, have created renewed attention to other medical association policy statements on “affirming care.”

Unlike some peer organizations, the American Psychological Association (APA) appears to be attempting a “split the difference” communications strategy. It presented one face in response to Singal, and another to the trans activist community—all while denying the contradictions between the two. It thus embodies many of the institutional failures Singal laments.

The APA attempted this ploy when Singal asked the association for a comment for his Times op-ed... (MORE - details)

[Syne]

Some associations have recently revised their positions. Last month, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons issued a position statement rejecting surgical interventions for minor patients, citing challenges to the evidence for these procedures. The American Medical Association soon followed suit. These decisions, as Singal notes, have created renewed attention to other medical association policy statements on “affirming care.”

Unlike some peer organizations, the American Psychological Association (APA) appears to be attempting a “split the difference” communications strategy. It presented one face in response to Singal, and another to the trans activist community—all while denying the contradictions between the two. It thus embodies many of the institutional failures Singal laments.

The APA obviously has the most to gain, from gender dysphoric patients themselves, while also not having the medical liability threat that actual doctors face.
They're not trying to cut off a cash cow for them.