Demographic Sampling Inequalities Hinder Generalization of Neuroimaging Studies

COEX 

Representative samples are crucial for generalizing scientific findings, yet the characteristics of study samples have often been largely overlooked. Neuroimaging studies, adopting methods from psychological science for participant recruitment, may face similar challenges seen in psychological research, with a prevalence of young, educated individuals from economically affluent, industrialized, and urban areas. Our meta-research, in conjunction with others, highlights three significant issues in neuroimaging study samples: under-reporting or non-reporting of many sample characteristics in published studies, disparities in samples across countries, and the ignorance of heterogeneity within countries. This talk will also explore the underlying reasons for these patterns, discuss the implications of these findings, and propose potential solutions.