A psychology journal has retracted an article on IQ tests nearly 50 years after publication – and more than 35 years after an investigation found the lead author had fabricated data in several other studies.

The report of 1987 National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) concluded Stephen Breuning (author of the article) had "engaged in serious scientific misconduct" by fabricating results in 10 articles funded by NIMH grants. Five of Breuning’s articles published in the 1980s have been retracted; three in the 1980s, one in 2022, and another in 2023.

The newly retracted article predates those papers. Published in 1978 in the Journal of School Psychology, "Effects of individualized incentives on norm-referenced IQ test performance of high school students in special education classes", found record albums, sporting event tickets, portable radios, and other incentives boosted scores on IQ tests. To many, including research psychologist Russell Warne, who has been investigating Breuning’s work since late 2021, these seemingly simple results appeared "too good to be true". Now, nearly three years later, the journal, an Elsevier title, has retracted the study.

Source https://retractionwatch.com/2025/01/20/stephen-breuning-nimh-misconduct-retraction/

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