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Telephone Games: How Issues With Common Citation Practices Established the Inverse Efficiency Score
Heinrich R Liesefeld1, John Christie2, Markus Janczyk1
1Department of Psychology, University of Bremen, Germany.
Experimental Psychology
|July 16, 2026
Summary
The inverse efficiency score (IES), commonly used in psychological studies, is not well-validated and may hinder research. This review highlights issues with its application and academic reliance on secondary information.
Area of Science:
- Experimental Psychology
- Cognitive Psychology
- Psychometrics
Background:
- In experimental psychology, response speed and accuracy are key dependent variables.
- Choosing between speed and accuracy is challenging, especially with speed-accuracy tradeoff variations.
- The inverse efficiency score (IES) is often used to combine these measures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To critically evaluate the inverse efficiency score (IES) in psychological research.
- To trace the historical application and validation of IES.
- To identify methodological flaws and cultural issues in the use of IES.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of inverse efficiency score (IES) applications.
- Analysis of historical usage and validation studies.
- Incorporation of insights from contemporary witnesses.
Main Results:
- The general application of IES lacks endorsement in original sources.
- Recent validation studies indicate IES is unsuitable for its intended purposes.
- IES popularity may have impeded progress on combining speed and accuracy measures.
Conclusions:
- The widespread use of IES is based on flawed academic practices and appeals to authority.
- There is a need to critically evaluate methodological tools and encourage reliance on primary sources.
- Improving academic culture requires valuing source verification and honest reporting of information reliance.
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