Open Science is Liberating and Can Foster Creativity

Abstract

Some scholars think that Open Science practices constrain researchers in ways that reduce their creativity; arguing, for instance, that preregistration discourages data exploration and so stifles discovery. In this paper, we argue the opposite: Open Science practices are liberating and can foster creativity. Open Science practices are liberating because they (a) enable us to explore data transparently and comfortably, (b) reward quality, which is under our control, rather than outcomes, which are not, and (c) reduce the chokehold of needing to find ‘positive’ results for career advancement. Open Science practices can foster creativity because they (a) cultivate an open and flexible mindset, (b) create a more collaborative and constructive climate, and (c) generate more accurate information and make it more accessible. In sum, Open Science liberates researchers more than it constrains them.

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