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From Data to Meaning Presentation: Communicating Psychological Scientific Research
to Non-Scientific Audiences
APA Division Leadership Conference January 25, 2015 Washington, DC
Presented by
Jacinta C. Gauda Principal and Chief Strategy Officer
www.thegaudagroup.com
Reinforce the importance of communicating psychological scientific research to non-scientific audiences
Acknowledge and address the challenges associated with communicating with wider audience groups
Introduce an audience-centric communications framework to advance the agenda in various situations
Provide an opportunity to practice the audience-centric communications framework
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Today’s Objectives
Our mission is to advance the creation, communication and application of psychological knowledge to benefit society and improve people's lives. We do this by:
Encouraging the development and application of psychology in the broadest manner
Promoting research in psychology, the improvement of research methods and conditions and the application of research findings
Improving the qualifications and usefulness of psychologists by establishing high standards of ethics, conduct, education and achievement
Increasing and disseminating psychological knowledge through meetings, professional contacts, reports, papers, discussions and publications
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The Why: APA Mission and Core Strategies
Embrace communication opportunities
Adopt an audience-centric communications mindset and utilize a range of skills to navigate various communication landscapes
Drive a proactive and reactive communications strategy to advance the Division objectives
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Leader Communications Implications
• Misuse, misquotes, and manipulation of information
• Ethical concerns and considerations
• Inability to provide adequate context
• Challenges to research claims
• Pressure to overstate research conclusions/implications
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Communication Risks and Challenges
The Presenter The Audience The Content
The Presenter The Audience The Content
The Presenter The Audience The Content
All eyes are on me
I need to tell them everything that is known
What is most relevant to this audience?
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Balancing the Dimensions of Communications
Your Intentions to Communicate
New Ideas
Timely Information
Useful Messages
Need for Action
Depth of Issue
Urgency of Agenda
Need for Funding
Public Policy Influence
Desired Audience Response
Understand
Report
Take Action
Appreciate
Engage
Change
Inspire
Support
Promote
Adopt
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Communicating with Intention
The Focus The Need Communication Implications
• Laws • Regulations • Reactive • Political • Dynamic • Complex • Goal- oriented
• Get smart fast • Have a lot of credible content • Understand underlying causes • Useful analysis • Evidence-based practices • Background/context • Fact sheets • Credible sources • Public opinion polls
Professional publication is highly important to policy makers. They also rely heavily on what’s in the news.
• Highlight professional credentials • Know the policy agenda • Use highly relevant data • Know both sides/controversies • Offer direction and resources • Be concise • Create interest to learn more • Provide advance and leave - behind material • Be prepared for the tough questions
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Audience Mindset – Policy Makers
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Focus Needs Implications
•New Developments •Discoveries •Trends •Human Interest •Controversy •Conflict •Crisis
• Attract/keep audiences • Break news • Have a great deal of quality
content • Provide perspective • Get an opposing point of view • Balance stories • Enlist credible sources • Differentiate from competitors
Know that I have limited time and
space and am always on deadline
in a highly competitive 24/7 news
cycle
• Know the media’s audience •Know the nature of the story and why they are talking to you • Be prepared • Know how to zero-in on the most important message •Have supporting messages and proof points •State why the research is important • State what it means for the audience •Use data and visuals •Provide backgrounder
Audience Mindset – The Media
Focus The Need to/for Implications
•Living •Coping •Managing •Juggling •Parenting •Getting and staying well •Managing emotions
• Guidance/support in major disasters and major societal and personal changes •Understand and manage mental illness •Know psychologically healthy behaviors •Deal with difficult people and situations • Help becoming a better person, sibling, parent, caretaker, friend and employee
•Help me to understand •Tell me what I should do •Help me to be less afraid •Show me how to cope •Put me in the right direction •Explain why this is happening to me •Tell me what this means for me and/or my family
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Audience Mindset – The Public
Research/Researcher Centric Audience-Centric
Elaborate/Elegant Research Models A Simplified Context
Extensive Research Findings The Essential Messages
Rich Data Supporting Proof Points
Multiple Outcomes Audience-Specific Implications
Importance of the Researcher What’s in it for Me (the audience)
What I Want to Tell What I Need/Want to Know
Research Limitations The Meaning of What is Known
Open-Ended – Call for More Research What Should I/We Do Today
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Major Communications Shifts
Positioning Messages
The key thing is…
The best part about…
The three most exciting elements are…
The essential element is…
The Essential and Non-Essential
Methodology
Implications Research
Objectives Current
and Historical Context Limitations
Arguments
Assumptions
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From Information to Meaning
Trust
Understanding
Confidence
What’s in it for…
Credentials
Experience
Depth of knowledge
Recognition Strong evidence
Information is current and relevant
Third-party validation
Benefits of recommendations
Context
How it works
Implications
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The Work of Messages
Key message
Supporting msg &
Proof points
Supporting msg &
Proof points
Supporting msg &
Proof points
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1 • Define the Issue
2 • Position the Research
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• Deliver the Key Message (s)
4 • State Limitations
5 • Deliver the Audience-Centric Take-away
Communications Framework
This step answers these questions:
What are we talking about here?
How big is the issue?
Who is affected by the issue?
Why should we address it now?
What happens if the issue/trend continues?
Suggestions:
Bring the audience in as soon as possible
Define the issue in understandable terms
Use data to illuminate the impact of the issue
Example
Cyberbullying is the intentional act of using technology to bully, harass, damage or threaten one’s feeling of safety, self dignity, privacy, relationships, image or reputation. It has been estimated that nearly 43% of teens have experienced some form of cyberbullying.
Even Shorter
Cyberbullying is not an uncommon occurrence among adolescents. Many may become victims of cyberbullying, an intentional harmful act that threatens their feelings of safety and self dignity.
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1. Define the Issue/State the Case
The step answers the questions:
What are the important questions to be answered?
How can these answers help address the issue?
How did we go about finding the answers?
Suggestions:
If possible, position the objectives with an implied audience benefit
While emphasizing the rigor of the research, avoid, at this point, over-explaining the approach
Use research questions to create listener anticipation for the answers
Example
If we, as parents, teachers, health professionals and policy makers, are to protect adolescents from being victims or perpetrators of cyberbullying, we must better understand it – what makes it unique, risk factors and protective factors – Is it an unique form of aggression? We conducted an extensive review of the research literature to find the answers
Even shorter
To protect adolescents we must learn more about cyberbullying, - Is it a distinct form of aggression?
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2. Position the Research
This step answers the questions: Did we find anything new? What was the most significant finding? What were two other important findings? Do the findings confirm what was known? Do the findings uncover what was
unknown? Do the findings contradict assumptions? Suggestions: State the number of significant findings State if the findings offer actionable
solutions Use data points to illuminate qualitative
statements
Example Our research uncovered two important
findings: 1. Cyberbullying shares many of the
characteristics of other forms of aggression, with unique situational features that make electronic aggression easier to perpetrate.
2. Certain situational predictors, such as having a computer in one’s bedroom and risky and frequent use of electronic communications technologies, are associated with cyberbullying.
Even shorter With few exceptions, cyberbullying has
the same characteristics as broader forms of aggression.
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3. Deliver the Message(s)
This step answers the questions:
What the research did not examine
What questions remain unanswered
What could or is changing that impacts research findings
Suggestions:
Do not elaborate on limitations
Focus on findings (messages)
Be prepared to address limitations in the Q&A
Example
This research had many limitations :
It is focused on perpetration of cyberbullying.
The current literature is young and underdeveloped.
Technology is changing and the corresponding research is evolving.
Even shorter:
While we have gained greater insights through this research on cyberbullying, technology is changing at an alarming speed and the corresponding research is evolving.
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4. State Limitations
This step answers the questions:
What does this mean?
What’s next?
What should I do, know and/or expect?
Suggestions:
Bring the importance of the research full circle
Focus on the most important take-away for the specific audience
Example
Because of this research, we better understand cyber- bullying, what it has in common with other forms of aggression, and what makes it unique.
Audience-specific
Policy Makers: The critical next steps are to develop a gold standard of measurement, a common definition and innovative approaches to obtaining data. But for now …
Parents: Research supports that parental monitoring is associated with lower rates of cyberbullying.
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5. State the Audience-Centric Take-Away
Debunks the myth of …
Gives us important insights on . . .
Fills in the missing blanks on . . .
Provides (audience) with a way to . . .
Supports evidence that . . .
Strengthens healthcare by . . .
Increases (audience) confidence in knowing . . .
Forges a pathway forward to . . .
Opens our eyes to . . .
Adds to what we already know about . . .
Illuminates our understanding of . . .
Advances our
knowledge about
. . .
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Positioning Statements: Our Research . . .
Deepen understanding
Reinforce a point of view
Broaden perceptions
Clarify misunderstandings
Address controversy or disputes
Share additional proof-points
Provide important insights
Uncover problems or issues
Deliver a key message
Trust
Understanding
Confidence
What’s in it for…
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Questions as Opportunities
Type Description Approach
Softball Easy questions that spark a conversation about the research
Minimally address
Concentrate on advancing the message
Core Fundamental questions related to the research
Answer directly and succinctly
Advance a core message
Within Scope Research-related questions you should have a perspective on
Provide perspective on the issue
Support perspective with proof points
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Questions – The Easy Ones
Type Description Approach
Tough Difficult but necessary to address about the research
Directly address the issue and provide perspective
Deliver your core message
Negative Challenge to the research findings/methodology/implications
Acknowledge the statement
Rephrase - “I prefer to think of it as…”
Bridge to your message, “Our strength in the research is . . . “
Out-of-the-blue
Breaking news or hot topic questions unrelated to the research
Emphatically respond (if appropriate)
Provide professional perspective or state limitation
Avoid being side-tracked
Bridge to the research topics
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Questions – The Challenging Ones
Type Description Approach
Crystal Ball Requires you to predict the future
State limitations and/or qualify answer
“I can’t see into the future, but I can say that …”
Provide perspective on the issue
Bridge to research messages
Irrelevant Questions unrelated to the subject at hand
Stay focused
Use key message to bridge back to relevant topic
Expected to know
Possibly in scope but you do not have the answer
Acknowledge lack of information
Give direction or referral
If applicable, state willingness to provide information
Be sure to follow up
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Questions – The Challenging Ones
• The question requires disclosure of confidential or proprietary information
• You don’t know the answer or feel uncomfortable answering
• You would be answering for a third party
• The question is unclear (ask for clarification before answering)
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You can decline to answer when
Know your audience
Have a communications intention
Leave the details for the Q&A
Connect research objectives with audience needs
Remember to answer the question – what does all of this mean?
Don’t tell them everything you know
Translate research material into reader/friendly formats
Put data into comparative context and use analogies to tell story
Listen for the message opportunity in the question
Prepare messages in advance
Tell the research story in everyday language
Know the answers to the toughest questions
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Keep in Mind…