When Hypothesis Preregistration Feeds Into Theory Development

Study preregistrations and theory development have been proposed as independent strategies for improving the quality, transparency, robustness, and reproducibility of research. Yet, a discussion of how theory and preregistration could interact and complement each other towards improved science is currently lacking. Here, we argue that hypothesis preregistration could stimulate theory development by serving various roles, depending on the availability or quality of theories and hypotheses in a field at any given time. We suggest that, in appropriate conditions, preregistration can increase the quality of hypotheses before they are tested, with indirect beneficial effects on theory development. In fields where theories are less developed or agreed upon, or are lacking altogether, hypothesis preregistration can nudge researchers to improve and share their hypotheses, engaging their community and facilitating accumulation and development of hypotheses. As a field’s theories and hypotheses become more advanced and better understood, hypothesis preregistration can become less important: the theory itself can function as a public repository of hypotheses and can constrain methodological aspects of research. We explore possible relations and synergies between hypothesis preregistration and theory development in a range of scenarios. We conclude with a discussion of implications and recommendations for researchers and meta-scientists.