Editorial: ' <i>Safety in numbers'</i> ? Big data discovery strategies in neuro‐developmental science – contributions and caveats

Abstract

In the last 10 years, we have seen a shift toward the use of big data hypothesis-free discovery strategies in studies of neuro-development and mental health. In this editorial, I discuss the reasons for their popularity, their potential contribution as well as some limitations and pitfalls. I conclude with a call for methodological pluralism where big data approaches are strategically integrated into cycles of hypothesis generation and testing.

Topics & Concepts