A creative destruction approach to replication: Implicit work and sex morality across cultures
How can we maximize what is learned from a replication study? In the creative
destruction approach to replication, the original hypothesis is compared not
only to the null hypothesis, but also to predictions derived from multiple
alternative theoretical accounts of the phenomenon. To this end, new
populations and measures are included in the design in addition to the
original ones, to help determine which theory best accounts for the results
across multiple key outcomes and contexts. The present pre-registered
empirical project compared the Implicit Puritanism account of intuitive work
and sex morality to theories positing regional, religious, and social class
differences; explicit rather than implicit cultural differences in values;
self-expression vs. survival values as a key cultural fault line; the general
moralization of work; and false positive effects. Contradicting Implicit
Puritanism's core theoretical claim of a distinct American work morality, a
number of targeted findings replicated across multiple comparison cultures,
whereas several failed to replicate in all samples and were identified as
likely false positives. No support emerged for theories predicting regional
variability and specific individual-differences moderators (religious
affiliation, religiosity, and education level). Overall, the results provide
evidence that work is intuitively moralized across cultures. |