One way of avoiding the null hypothesis testing ritual in science is to increase the precision of theories by casting them as formal models. Rituals can be characterized by a repetition of the same action (1), fixations on special features (2), anxieties about punishment for rule violation (3) and wishful thinking (4). The null hypothesis testing ritual is mainly maintained because many psychological theories are too weak to make precise predictions besides the direction of the effect.A model is a simplified representation of the world that aims to explain observed data. It specifies a theory’s predictions. Modelling is especially suited for basic and applied research about the cognitive system. There are four advantages of formally specifying the theories as models:Designing strong tests of theoriesModelling theories leads to being able to make quantitative predictions about a theory, which then leads to comparable, competing predictions between theories which allows for comparison and testing of theories.Sharpening research questionsNull hypothesis testing allows for vague descriptions of theories and specifying the theories as models requires more precise research questions. These vague descriptions make theories difficult to test and sharpening the research questions makes it easier to test the theories.Going beyond linear theoriesNull hypothesis testing is especially applicable to simple hypotheses. The statistical tools available are used to create theories, mostly linear theories and by specifying the theory as a model, this is not necessary anymore.Using more externally valid designs to study real-world questionsModelling can lead to more externally valid designs, as confounds are not eliminated in the analysis, but built into the model. Goodness-of-fit measures cannot make the distinction between variation in the data as a result of noise or as a result of the psychological process of interest. A model can end up...