Daniel Gerdesmann
@dgerdesmann.de
PhD candidate based in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.
Science Education | Psychology | R | Open Science | Open Source Tools
https://dgerdesmann.de
Science Education | Psychology | R | Open Science | Open Source Tools
https://dgerdesmann.de
Reposted by Daniel Gerdesmann
LLMs are now widely used in social science as stand-ins for humans—assuming they can produce realistic, human-like text
But... can they? We don’t actually know.
In our new study, we develop a Computational Turing Test.
And our findings are striking:
LLMs may be far less human-like than we think.🧵
But... can they? We don’t actually know.
In our new study, we develop a Computational Turing Test.
And our findings are striking:
LLMs may be far less human-like than we think.🧵
Computational Turing Test Reveals Systematic Differences Between Human and AI Language
Large language models (LLMs) are increasingly used in the social sciences to simulate human behavior, based on the assumption that they can generate realistic, human-like text. Yet this assumption rem...
arxiv.org
November 7, 2025 at 11:13 AM
LLMs are now widely used in social science as stand-ins for humans—assuming they can produce realistic, human-like text
But... can they? We don’t actually know.
In our new study, we develop a Computational Turing Test.
And our findings are striking:
LLMs may be far less human-like than we think.🧵
But... can they? We don’t actually know.
In our new study, we develop a Computational Turing Test.
And our findings are striking:
LLMs may be far less human-like than we think.🧵
Reposted by Daniel Gerdesmann
Engagement-based #algorithms amplify intergroup hostility + moral-emotional content, leading it to be overrepresented in your feed
This leads us to falsely perceive that people want to see this kind of content and share more of it.
This technology fuels false polarization: osf.io/preprints/os...
This leads us to falsely perceive that people want to see this kind of content and share more of it.
This technology fuels false polarization: osf.io/preprints/os...
November 4, 2025 at 7:33 PM
Engagement-based #algorithms amplify intergroup hostility + moral-emotional content, leading it to be overrepresented in your feed
This leads us to falsely perceive that people want to see this kind of content and share more of it.
This technology fuels false polarization: osf.io/preprints/os...
This leads us to falsely perceive that people want to see this kind of content and share more of it.
This technology fuels false polarization: osf.io/preprints/os...
Reposted by Daniel Gerdesmann
Researchers are often advised to "reveal the person behind the science" in #scicomm to appear more approachable and trustworthy to their audiences. But does this really work? 🤔 In this short piece for Current Opinion in Psych, I review the recent literature... 👇 1/3
doi.org/10.1016/j.co...
doi.org/10.1016/j.co...
Redirecting
doi.org
November 3, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Researchers are often advised to "reveal the person behind the science" in #scicomm to appear more approachable and trustworthy to their audiences. But does this really work? 🤔 In this short piece for Current Opinion in Psych, I review the recent literature... 👇 1/3
doi.org/10.1016/j.co...
doi.org/10.1016/j.co...
Reposted by Daniel Gerdesmann
The package formerly known as papercheck has changed its name to metacheck! We're checking more than just papers, with functions to assess OSF projects, github repos, and AsPredicted pre-registrations, with more being developed all the time.
scienceverse.github.io/metacheck/
scienceverse.github.io/metacheck/
Check Research Outputs for Best Practices
A modular, extendable system for automatically checking research outputs for best practices using text search, R code, and/or (optional) LLM queries.
scienceverse.github.io
November 3, 2025 at 4:20 PM
The package formerly known as papercheck has changed its name to metacheck! We're checking more than just papers, with functions to assess OSF projects, github repos, and AsPredicted pre-registrations, with more being developed all the time.
scienceverse.github.io/metacheck/
scienceverse.github.io/metacheck/
Reposted by Daniel Gerdesmann
Are humans really the only rational animals? Our NEW PAPER 🎉 out in @science.org suggests otherwise! In a large collaboration led with my joint first author @hanna-schleihauf.bsky.social, we show that “Chimpanzees rationally revise their beliefs” 🧵
Chimpanzees rationally revise their beliefs
The selective revision of beliefs in light of new evidence has been considered one of the hallmarks of human-level rationality. However, tests of this ability in other species are lacking. We examined...
www.science.org
October 30, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Are humans really the only rational animals? Our NEW PAPER 🎉 out in @science.org suggests otherwise! In a large collaboration led with my joint first author @hanna-schleihauf.bsky.social, we show that “Chimpanzees rationally revise their beliefs” 🧵
Reposted by Daniel Gerdesmann
Join us as we get Wild tomorrow, and don’t forget to bring a number 2 pencil!
November 3, 2025 at 1:25 PM
Join us as we get Wild tomorrow, and don’t forget to bring a number 2 pencil!
Reposted by Daniel Gerdesmann
We live in an era of democratic backsliding and autocratization. Scholars and researchers are among those in the firing line. How should they respond? We will provide some hints and guidance int his webinar on 13 November for the European Geophysical Union:
How scientists can respond to autocratisation
<p>We live in an era of democratic backsliding and autocratisation, in which science is increasingly under politically-motivated attack. This webinar will provide an overview of how scientists can respond and safeguard their work. The webinar will last for 1.5 hours with time for audience Q&A. </p><p>Please register for this online event using the link at the bottom of the webpage.</p>
www.egu.eu
November 3, 2025 at 8:22 AM
We live in an era of democratic backsliding and autocratization. Scholars and researchers are among those in the firing line. How should they respond? We will provide some hints and guidance int his webinar on 13 November for the European Geophysical Union:
Reposted by Daniel Gerdesmann
once again seeking others' opinions to guide my life choices: of those who dropped out of a PhD or converted to Masters, did anyone subsequently complete a PhD with a different topic and supervisors? thoughts for or against this path?
November 3, 2025 at 3:54 AM
once again seeking others' opinions to guide my life choices: of those who dropped out of a PhD or converted to Masters, did anyone subsequently complete a PhD with a different topic and supervisors? thoughts for or against this path?
Reposted by Daniel Gerdesmann
“It’s not as simple as income being the differentiator here — it’s wealth being more the driver”
www.nbcnews.com/business/eco...
www.nbcnews.com/business/eco...
From fast food to beverage giants, brands see rising income inequality among customers
Consumer brands are adjusting to a two-tiered economy as the new normal. Yet there are signs that even high-income customers are under pressure.
www.nbcnews.com
November 2, 2025 at 12:09 PM
“It’s not as simple as income being the differentiator here — it’s wealth being more the driver”
www.nbcnews.com/business/eco...
www.nbcnews.com/business/eco...
Reposted by Daniel Gerdesmann
There's not much in the blog post I disagree with, but I do want to clarify why a request for vetting by statisticians is not an invitation to "arguments from authority". When we "vet" something, we do more than ask someone what they think. Obviously if we just asked for a statistician's 1/x
New blog post: Why we should stop using statistical techniques that have not been adequately vetted by experts in psychology daniellakens.blogspot.com/2025/10/why-... where I reflect on how we should check the quality of novel statistical techniques.
October 30, 2025 at 5:17 PM
There's not much in the blog post I disagree with, but I do want to clarify why a request for vetting by statisticians is not an invitation to "arguments from authority". When we "vet" something, we do more than ask someone what they think. Obviously if we just asked for a statistician's 1/x
Reposted by Daniel Gerdesmann
I'd love to help make BlueSky one of the places where young scholars introduce themselves and their work to the world.
If you're a PhD student whose work at least partially focuses on economics of education or education policy, reply to this thread and I'll highlight your work.
If you're a PhD student whose work at least partially focuses on economics of education or education policy, reply to this thread and I'll highlight your work.
October 30, 2025 at 1:23 PM
I'd love to help make BlueSky one of the places where young scholars introduce themselves and their work to the world.
If you're a PhD student whose work at least partially focuses on economics of education or education policy, reply to this thread and I'll highlight your work.
If you're a PhD student whose work at least partially focuses on economics of education or education policy, reply to this thread and I'll highlight your work.
Reposted by Daniel Gerdesmann
An ed psych journal is refusing to publish our manuscript unless we "neutralize" "political" content. This is after the manuscript was peer-reviewed and accepted for publication. DM me for details!
I'm devastated. Two years of work and revisions with four junior co-authors cast aside that easily.
I'm devastated. Two years of work and revisions with four junior co-authors cast aside that easily.
October 14, 2025 at 12:47 PM
An ed psych journal is refusing to publish our manuscript unless we "neutralize" "political" content. This is after the manuscript was peer-reviewed and accepted for publication. DM me for details!
I'm devastated. Two years of work and revisions with four junior co-authors cast aside that easily.
I'm devastated. Two years of work and revisions with four junior co-authors cast aside that easily.
Reposted by Daniel Gerdesmann
just a friendly reminder, this is a nude pic of your waifu/husbando (when AWS us-east-1 does not cause a global internet fallout)
October 29, 2025 at 6:13 PM
just a friendly reminder, this is a nude pic of your waifu/husbando (when AWS us-east-1 does not cause a global internet fallout)
Reposted by Daniel Gerdesmann
We're hiring! @univie.ac.at is seeking a TT Assistant Professor in the Psychology of Digitalization. If your work is about automation, AI, or immersive technology (e.g., VR) in the context of work and organizations (broadly defined), we’d love to hear from you. 👇
October 29, 2025 at 6:24 PM
We're hiring! @univie.ac.at is seeking a TT Assistant Professor in the Psychology of Digitalization. If your work is about automation, AI, or immersive technology (e.g., VR) in the context of work and organizations (broadly defined), we’d love to hear from you. 👇
Reposted by Daniel Gerdesmann
New release of PowerLMM.js! Browser-based power analysis for longitudinal models with dropout.
Now includes:
- Power analysis summary report
- Reproducible & shareable configs (URL/JSON)
- Calculations validated against R
- Hypothesis region visualization
powerlmmjs.rpsychologist.com
Now includes:
- Power analysis summary report
- Reproducible & shareable configs (URL/JSON)
- Calculations validated against R
- Hypothesis region visualization
powerlmmjs.rpsychologist.com
October 28, 2025 at 2:02 PM
New release of PowerLMM.js! Browser-based power analysis for longitudinal models with dropout.
Now includes:
- Power analysis summary report
- Reproducible & shareable configs (URL/JSON)
- Calculations validated against R
- Hypothesis region visualization
powerlmmjs.rpsychologist.com
Now includes:
- Power analysis summary report
- Reproducible & shareable configs (URL/JSON)
- Calculations validated against R
- Hypothesis region visualization
powerlmmjs.rpsychologist.com
Reposted by Daniel Gerdesmann
My lab is looking for a Senior Scientist (= PostDoc with option of permanency)!
We are looking for someone interested in doing cutting-edge computational social science + helping us with data & software engineering 🤓.
See job ad for details jobs.uni-graz.at/en/jobs/7d14...
We are looking for someone interested in doing cutting-edge computational social science + helping us with data & software engineering 🤓.
See job ad for details jobs.uni-graz.at/en/jobs/7d14...
Universität Graz
jobs.uni-graz.at
October 28, 2025 at 7:02 AM
My lab is looking for a Senior Scientist (= PostDoc with option of permanency)!
We are looking for someone interested in doing cutting-edge computational social science + helping us with data & software engineering 🤓.
See job ad for details jobs.uni-graz.at/en/jobs/7d14...
We are looking for someone interested in doing cutting-edge computational social science + helping us with data & software engineering 🤓.
See job ad for details jobs.uni-graz.at/en/jobs/7d14...
Reposted by Daniel Gerdesmann
Whenever I read 'battery of questionnaires', I think of ...
October 27, 2025 at 11:30 AM
Whenever I read 'battery of questionnaires', I think of ...
Reposted by Daniel Gerdesmann
🧪🍎📃
Vitamin B12 is a rather unique vitamin.
Only certain bacteria and archaea can make it, not plants or animals.
Animals require B12 and can obtain and store it, which is why meat and fish are well-known sources for humans.
But what about non-animal foods? Can they provide any B12 at all?🧵⤵️
Vitamin B12 is a rather unique vitamin.
Only certain bacteria and archaea can make it, not plants or animals.
Animals require B12 and can obtain and store it, which is why meat and fish are well-known sources for humans.
But what about non-animal foods? Can they provide any B12 at all?🧵⤵️
October 25, 2025 at 5:30 PM
🧪🍎📃
Vitamin B12 is a rather unique vitamin.
Only certain bacteria and archaea can make it, not plants or animals.
Animals require B12 and can obtain and store it, which is why meat and fish are well-known sources for humans.
But what about non-animal foods? Can they provide any B12 at all?🧵⤵️
Vitamin B12 is a rather unique vitamin.
Only certain bacteria and archaea can make it, not plants or animals.
Animals require B12 and can obtain and store it, which is why meat and fish are well-known sources for humans.
But what about non-animal foods? Can they provide any B12 at all?🧵⤵️
Reposted by Daniel Gerdesmann
Open-access publication alert!! This is a special one; it represents two years of work with an amazing team of researchers, teachers, educational stakeholders, and technology experts to identify infrastructure that would advance equity in STEM education: link.springer.com/article/10.1...
A field-initiated vision of research infrastructure for STEM education - International Journal of STEM Education
STEM education research has historically been under-equipped, relying on standardized tests and questionnaires while other fields deploy space telescopes and particle accelerators. What would happen i...
link.springer.com
October 24, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Open-access publication alert!! This is a special one; it represents two years of work with an amazing team of researchers, teachers, educational stakeholders, and technology experts to identify infrastructure that would advance equity in STEM education: link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Reposted by Daniel Gerdesmann
I’m seeing some misinformation about pseudo-random number generator best practices going around the internets. Let’s talk about why the pseudo-random number generator seed you use shouldn’t actually have any impact on your results and, consequently, you can choose whatever seed you damn well please.
October 22, 2025 at 7:06 PM
I’m seeing some misinformation about pseudo-random number generator best practices going around the internets. Let’s talk about why the pseudo-random number generator seed you use shouldn’t actually have any impact on your results and, consequently, you can choose whatever seed you damn well please.
Reposted by Daniel Gerdesmann
We need to have a conversation about random seeds. Don't use 42.
blog.genesmindsmachines.com/p/if-your-ra...
blog.genesmindsmachines.com/p/if-your-ra...
If your random seed is 42 I will come to your office and set your computer on fire🔥
Figuratively. More likely you'll get a stern talking to.
blog.genesmindsmachines.com
October 22, 2025 at 12:49 PM
We need to have a conversation about random seeds. Don't use 42.
blog.genesmindsmachines.com/p/if-your-ra...
blog.genesmindsmachines.com/p/if-your-ra...
Reposted by Daniel Gerdesmann
🚨 New CRAN Task View: Anomaly Detection
#rstats #anomalydetection
By Priyanga Dilini Talagala, Rob J. Hyndman @robjhyndman.com, Gaetano Romano
URL: cran.r-project.org/view=Anomaly...
#rstats #anomalydetection
By Priyanga Dilini Talagala, Rob J. Hyndman @robjhyndman.com, Gaetano Romano
URL: cran.r-project.org/view=Anomaly...
October 22, 2025 at 10:39 AM
🚨 New CRAN Task View: Anomaly Detection
#rstats #anomalydetection
By Priyanga Dilini Talagala, Rob J. Hyndman @robjhyndman.com, Gaetano Romano
URL: cran.r-project.org/view=Anomaly...
#rstats #anomalydetection
By Priyanga Dilini Talagala, Rob J. Hyndman @robjhyndman.com, Gaetano Romano
URL: cran.r-project.org/view=Anomaly...
Reposted by Daniel Gerdesmann
Published today: One of the biggest #science #communication studies to date. We asked 71,922 people in 68 countries how they #engage with information about #science and combined the data with several country-level factors: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/... #OpenAccess
October 21, 2025 at 12:27 PM
Published today: One of the biggest #science #communication studies to date. We asked 71,922 people in 68 countries how they #engage with information about #science and combined the data with several country-level factors: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/... #OpenAccess
Reposted by Daniel Gerdesmann
Is science getting too competitive?
Grant applications are skyrocketing and funding rates are decreasing.
Yet the article in Nature fails to mention the potential role that AI/LLMs in driving up grant applications.
It's becoming a lottery.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...).
Grant applications are skyrocketing and funding rates are decreasing.
Yet the article in Nature fails to mention the potential role that AI/LLMs in driving up grant applications.
It's becoming a lottery.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...).
October 19, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Is science getting too competitive?
Grant applications are skyrocketing and funding rates are decreasing.
Yet the article in Nature fails to mention the potential role that AI/LLMs in driving up grant applications.
It's becoming a lottery.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...).
Grant applications are skyrocketing and funding rates are decreasing.
Yet the article in Nature fails to mention the potential role that AI/LLMs in driving up grant applications.
It's becoming a lottery.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...).
Reposted by Daniel Gerdesmann
Migrated my book to another domain elliedegb.quarto.pub/psychometrics/ . It's a free resource on psychometric validation of instruments in R. Please share!
Advances in Psychometric Theory and Measurement for Psychological Sciences
This is an educational resource, with content at the cutting edge of scientific knowledge. It aims to improve future research, by improving researchers knowledge in the statistical inferences made, pl...
elliedegb.quarto.pub
October 18, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Migrated my book to another domain elliedegb.quarto.pub/psychometrics/ . It's a free resource on psychometric validation of instruments in R. Please share!