INCREASINGLY COMPLEX BUT LESS INTERESTING ARTICLES - SCIENTIFIC PROGRESS OR REGULATORY PROBLEM

Reis and Stiller suggest that the increasing complexity of JPSP articles over the last 20 years, and the perception that the articles have become less interesting, is a mark of the normal progression of good science. Although I would prefer simply to accept this upbeat conclusion, I propose that there is another factor that contributes to our published articles becoming "more complex" but "less interesting"-a regulatory review process that emphasizes avoiding mistakes rather than promoting advances. Several statements by Reis and Stiller about the current process and status of JPSP publication are consistent with this proposal. If this proposal has merit, then the discipline needs to assess the current situation and modify its regulatory style.