Practical barriers to reducing construct proliferation

We agree that construct proliferation is an ongoing challenge for I-O psychologists, contributing to conceptual ambiguity and weakening the practical applicability of research findings (Bowling et al., 2026).Although several viable solutions have been proposed, many rely on implicit assumptions based on collective consensus and coordination that are difficult to achieve in practice.In this commentary, we present three main barriers to solutions proposed by Bowling and colleagues: (a) measurement and operationalization divide, (b) misalignment with practice, and (c) unrealistic adoption and professional consequences.In doing so, we hope to advance prior arguments by reframing proposed solutions in more practical, implementable terms.We see the importance of addressing construct proliferation in our field, as noted by the authors of the focal article.However, we believe that a more formal restructuring of thinking and adaptation needs to be implemented for us as a science before we can truly tackle this widespread concern.