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<p>The use of big data, such as large-scale observational and/or archival data, can help psychology to&#xa0;overcome problems with generalizability and enable the study of real-world behaviours. At the same time, big data can be overused or misapplied, which risks reintroducing issues such as an over-reliance on correlations bereft of explanatory power. It is therefore essential that psychologists consider how to leverage big data in an informed and intentional manner. In this Perspective, we&#xa0;describe not only the methodological contributions and limitations of big data, but also the cultural opportunities and risks these approaches evoke; that is, how big data shapes the ways in which psychologists conceptualize and tackle research questions. Of particular concern is that an increased emphasis on big data in combination with academia’s publish-or-perish incentive structure could shift the field from ‘theories-guide-data’ to ‘data-guide-theories’. To address this concern and others, we discuss how big data might be harmonized with experimental approaches, which would enable scholars to harness the power of big data while avoiding its pitfalls.</p>

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Opportunities and risks of big data for the methods and culture of psychological science

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年8月3日

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  • Gabrielle C. Ibasco,
  • Friedrich M. Götz,
  • Luke Clark,
  • Jessica L. Tracy

摘要

The use of big data, such as large-scale observational and/or archival data, can help psychology to overcome problems with generalizability and enable the study of real-world behaviours. At the same time, big data can be overused or misapplied, which risks reintroducing issues such as an over-reliance on correlations bereft of explanatory power. It is therefore essential that psychologists consider how to leverage big data in an informed and intentional manner. In this Perspective, we describe not only the methodological contributions and limitations of big data, but also the cultural opportunities and risks these approaches evoke; that is, how big data shapes the ways in which psychologists conceptualize and tackle research questions. Of particular concern is that an increased emphasis on big data in combination with academia’s publish-or-perish incentive structure could shift the field from ‘theories-guide-data’ to ‘data-guide-theories’. To address this concern and others, we discuss how big data might be harmonized with experimental approaches, which would enable scholars to harness the power of big data while avoiding its pitfalls.