Pre-registration becomes standard in top journals

Most top-tier psychology journals now require pre-registration or Registered Reports. The replication crisis has transformed research culture in less than a decade.

The replication crisis revealed that many classic psychology findings could not be reproduced under controlled conditions. This exposed systemic problems: small samples, flexible statistical practices, academic incentives rewarding novelty over accuracy, and an editorial culture favoring positive results. The scientific community's response was a profound transformation of research norms.

The 2020s have been marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, the rise of online psychotherapy, and growing interest in mental health. Psychology has responded with rapid innovation in treatment formats and greater attention to social determinants of mental health.

Significance: This milestone significantly contributed to the development of psychology as a science and profession, influencing research, clinical practice, or public policy.