A Checklist for Incentivizing and Facilitating Good Theory Building

Abstract: Psychology is facing a theory crisis characterized by ambiguous theories that lead to inconclusive theory tests. To address this problem, we propose a checklist designed to establish hygiene standards for assessing theoretical rigor in psychological research. This checklist contains operationalized criteria applicable to the development of both verbal and formal theories as well as tests of these. If the checklist is used as part of evaluation schemes (e.g., in hiring), it can further incentivize theory building, and if it is used as step-by-step guidance for how to proceed during theory building, it may also facilitate better theorizing. Developing and testing precise theories in psychology is more challenging than is typically acknowledged. Given this, we advocate for the (re-)creation of a dedicated field of theoretical psychology and specialized journals that support the publication of well-developed theories even without tests.