This document summarizes an open forum discussion on the use of evidence in psychology. It discusses different types of evidence, including subjective experiences, learning outcomes, and behavior changes. It questions what type of evidence is expected and addresses key issues like the strength, applicability, and potential harms of evidence used to support interventions. Skepticism is expressed about relying solely on the claims of those selling interventions without considering alternative explanations or the limitations of evidence from isolated studies.

1. CONCERNS AND CONFIDENCES
An open forum on evidence as a basis for the
practice of psychology at work
NZ Psychological Society Annual Conference, 2013

2. EVIDENCE FOR WHAT?
• Please refrain from throwing fruit or theoretical gibberish
• Bouquets, curly questions and practical dilemmas welcome
• Frank O'Connor – NZ Psychological Society, 2013

3. LET’S GET SOME MORE EVIDENCE
“ Recent research shows that the vast majority of
employees simply aren't engaged- in other words,
they aren't bringing their best and full selves to
work. What can practitioners do about this? Read
my latest article on the Harvard Business Review
Blog Network, and share your own ideas in the
comments section.”
Evidence Based Psychology 16 July 2013
christina.congleton@evidencebasedpsychology.com
Making evidence seems easy

4. EVIDENCE
This evidence stuff
What would it look like?
Let’s take an individual as our unit of analysis
And accept a constraint:
• That our work is meant to (help me, the individual) change what I
do in an organisational setting
A few versions of “evidence” come to mind…
©2011 Moa Resources - O’Connor p 4

5. EVIDENCE THAT I FEEL GOOD
I feel good about having tried to do something
about the thing I want to change
Subjective, yes, but apparently real
Compelling enough to get me to go back for more
My personal reaction is evidence of some kind, and
it changes my behaviour further
But is this the kind of evidence expected?
©2011 Moa Resources - O’Connor p 5

6. EVIDENCE THAT I HAVE LEARNED
SOMETHING
There is evidence that I have learned something
I certainly feel I have
And I talk about it to others
Friends say I look a bit more relaxed or awake or ....
This is evidence of a sort
But is it what was being sought?
©2011 Moa Resources - O’Connor p 6

7. EVIDENCE MY BEHAVIOUR HAS CHANGED
I think my behaviour has changed - I worry less!
And my friend says I’m doing things at work better
I don't know how much of this to attribute to what I
have learned …
I just know it did … and my friend agrees
Yet my other friend disagrees
©2011 Moa Resources - O’Connor p 7

8. “EVIDENCE CANNOT BE SUBJECTIVE”
What do you mean?
The things I have learned and am doing more or
less consciously are making a difference …
• how many arguments I win …
• sales I make …
• speeding fines I collect …
So I think this stuff has made an impact on my life
My other friend rejects this because he says all my
improvements are my perceptions …
I guess we must keep looking for evidence…
©2011 Moa Resources - O’Connor p 8

9. “IT’S TOO EARLY TO KNOW…”
“We can only conclude it’s too early to know, as we
have not proved otherwise”
Circular arguments come from not asking the right
question:
Evidence of what?
Evidence for what?
Are they going in the same direction?
©2011 Moa Resources - O’Connor p 9

10. KEY QUESTIONS ABOUT EVIDENCE-BASED
PSYCHOLOGY
• Not all evidence is alike – which evidence is better?
• When we look at peer-reviewed research before recommending
an intervention, are we using evidence-based psychology?
• Does evidence-based psychology look at all the research that
there is about a situation or intervention?
• When researchers look at whether an intervention works, do
they look at many more situations than you will ever address?
• If evidence can't tell you which intervention is best for your
situation, how do you weigh up the benefits and harms?
©2011 Moa Resources - O’Connor p 10

11. HOW WILL THIS INTERVENTION HELP?
How strong is the evidence?
– Has it been studied in similar situations?
– Is a study published in a reputable journal?
– Is just one person telling the story?
Who is telling me about this intervention?
– Why do they want to tell me how good it is?
– Consultants say good things about their interventions and products
What are the costs of the intervention?
– Look for inconvenience, not just expense
Is it likely that this intervention will do harm?
– Are some people more likely to get harmful effects than others?
– Less adaptable people sometimes have more “side effects”
– What are the alternatives to this form of intervention?
©2013 ~ NZPsS Evidence Forum ~ O’Connor – 7 Sep p 11