Commentary on the attempt to replicate the effect of the American flag on increased Republican attitudes

In this commentary, we reflect on what we have learned from the experience of being part of the ManyLabs replication, both in terms of the phenomenon being studied, and in terms of the mechanics of such an ambitious replication project. Replication attempts like this one are clearly valuable and will continue to inform our science. We discuss a number of lessons we have taken from the process related to the divide between direct and conceptual replication, and whether the data can inform our current theory regarding the original effect. In discussing these issues, we advocate for transparent flexibility in data analyses and the involvement of the original authors at every stage of the process.