"Diversity, Ability, and Expertise in Epistemic Communities" & "Groups of diverse problem solvers can outperform groups of high-ability problem solvers"

[LukasWallrich]

I am considering submitting a replication, yet am not quite sure how to frame it.

Work(s) to Replicate

Grim, P., Singer, D. J., Bramson, A., Holman, B., McGeehan, S., & Berger, W. J. (2019). Diversity, ability, and expertise in epistemic communities. Philosophy of Science, 86(1), 98-123.

Hong, L., & Page, S. E. (2004). Groups of diverse problem solvers can outperform groups of high-ability problem solvers. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 101(46), 16385-16389.

Motivation

Hong & Page (2004) proposed a highly influential agent-based model according to which groups of diverse problem-solvers outperform groups of the best-performing problem-solvers. While their article has been cited more than 1,400 times, there is no straightforward replication with open code. However, Grim et al. (2019) replicate the key findings when extending the model (again without accessible code). Their extensions are important as they show that the model results differ drastically based on an overlooked parameter (the ruggedness of the search space).

Challenges

I have replicated the Hong & Page model, which is generally replicable, with some deviations worth discussing. I now want to work on the Grim et al. version, but am wondering whether it would generally be appropriate for ReScience to submit a manuscript that provides a replication of the original paper (which has been replicated already, but without open code) and of the recent expansions, which have not yet been replicated?

[rougier]

Hi @LukasWallrich

I think it is perfectly fine to replicate the Hong paper even if it has been partially replicated somewhere else. For the expansion, it is also perfectly k to talk about it n your replication (to confirm or infirm their findings based on your code).