Hiking the Hypothetical Trail in Two Directions: How Reversing the Direction of Comparisons Can Advance Psychology
Perspectives on Psychological Science
Published online on March 09, 2026
Abstract
Perspectives on Psychological Science, Volume 21, Issue 4, Page 383-409, July 2026.
Comparisons in psychological research are often directional, with one entity (a group, situation, condition, or measurement) that is the “target” of the comparison being compared to a baseline or reference point (the “referent”). A particular ...
Comparisons in psychological research are often directional, with one entity (a group, situation, condition, or measurement) that is the “target” of the comparison being compared to a baseline or reference point (the “referent”). A particular ...