The Psychological Science Accelerator: Advancing Psychology through a Distributed Collaborative Network
Authors: Moshontz Hannah , Campbell Lorne , Ebersole Charles R. , IJzerman Hans , Urry Heather L. , Forscher Patrick S. , Grahe Jon E. , McCarthy Randy J. , Musser Erica D. , Protzko John , Flake Jessica Kay , Forero Diego A. , Janssen Steve M. J. , Keene Justin , Aczel Balazs , Ansari Daniel , Antfolk Jan , Baskin Ernest , Batres Carlota , Lucia Martha , Brick Cameron , Castille Christopher Michael , Chandel Priyanka , Chopik William J. , Clarance David , Corker Katherine S. , Dixson Barnaby , Dranseika Vilius , Dunham Yarrow , Fox Nicholas William , Evans Thomas Rhys , Fiedler Susann , Fu Cynthia H.Y. , Gardiner Gwendolyn , Garrison S. Mason , Gill Tripat , Hahn Amanda , Jaeger Bastian , Kačmár Pavol , Kaminski Gwenaël , Kanske Philipp , Kekecs Zoltan , Kline Struhl Melissa , Koehn Monica A , Kujur Pratibha , Levitan Carmel , Miller Jeremy K. , Okan Ceylan , Olsen Jerome , Oviedo-Trespalacios Oscar , Özdoğru Asil Ali , Pande Babita , Parganiha Arti , Parveen Noorshama , Pfuhl Gerit , Pradhan Sraddha , Ropovik Ivan , Rule Nicholas , Saunders Blair , Schei Vidar , Schmidt Kathleen , Singh Margaret Messiah , Sirota Miroslav , Solas Sara Álvarez , Steltenpohl Crystal Nicole , Stieger Stefan , Storage Daniel , Sullivan Gavin Brent , Szabelska Anna , Tamnes Christian K. , Vadillo Miguel A. , vanpaemel wolf , Vergauwe Evie , Verschoor Mark , Vianello Michelangelo , Voracek Martin , Williams Glenn Patrick , Wilson John Paul , Zickfeld Janis , Awlia Dana , Chatard Armand , Fernandez Ana Maria , Kapucu Aycan , Mensink Michael Craig , Chartier Christopher R. 
Published: July 2018

Concerns have been growing about the veracity of psychological research. Many findings in psychological science are based on studies with insufficient statistical power and nonrepresentative samples, or may otherwise be limited to specific, ungeneralizable settings or populations. Crowdsourced research, a type of large-scale collaboration in which one or more research projects are conducted across multiple lab sites, offers a pragmatic solution to these and other current methodological challenges. The Psychological Science Accelerator (PSA) is a distributed network of laboratories designed to enable and support crowdsourced research projects. These projects can focus on novel research questions, or attempt to replicate prior research, in large, diverse samples. The PSA’s mission is to accelerate the accumulation of reliable and generalizable evidence in psychological science. Here, we describe the background, structure, principles, procedures, benefits, and challenges of the PSA. In contrast to other crowdsourced research networks, the PSA is ongoing (as opposed to time-limited), efficient (in terms of re-using structures and principles for different projects), decentralized, diverse (in terms of participants and researchers), and inclusive (of proposals, contributions, and other relevant input from anyone inside or outside of the network). The PSA and other approaches to crowdsourced psychological science will advance our understanding of mental processes and behaviors by enabling rigorous research and systematically examining its generalizability.