w3: Theory&Practice

Question 1

The APA’s Triad model: Evidence-Based Practice (EBP)

Answer 1

Definition: The integration of best available research, clinical expertise, and patient characteristics, culture, and preferences in making decisions about care.

Core Aspects:
Best Research Evidence: Empirical data from controlled trials, observational studies, or qualitative research.
Clinical Expertise: Judgement and skills developed through experience, enabling flexibility and adaptation.
Patient Characteristics: Individual needs, values, and cultural contexts.

Example: Choosing between CBT or medication for a patient based on research evidence, therapist experience, and patient preference

Question 2

Clinical Expertise

Answer 2

Definition: The practitioner’s skill in integrating evidence and tailoring interventions to individual patients.

Key Elements:
Sensitivity to timing, framing, and pacing of interventions.

Ability to build effective therapeutic relationships.

Example: Adjusting therapy techniques for a shy teenager versus an outgoing adult

Question 3

Phronesis

Answer 3

Definition: Practical wisdom involving ethical judgement and the ability to make context-sensitive decisions.

• bridges theoretical knowledge with real-world applications.

Philosophical Basis: Derived from Aristotle’s intellectual virtues (episteme, techne, phronesis).

Example: Deciding whether to prioritise immediate symptom relief or long-term behavioural change for a patient

Question 4

Philosophical Basis Phronesis

Answer 4

Aristotle distinguished three types of intellectual virtues:

Episteme: Theoretical knowledge or scientific understanding, aimed at universal truths.

Techne: Technical knowledge or skills, used to produce something (craftsmanship).

Phronesis: Practical wisdom, which is the ability to act ethically and effectively in specific contexts

in psychology, while episteme underpins theoretical models of human behaviour and techne applies to the use of diagnostic tools or therapeutic techniques, phronesis is crucial for navigating the ethical and contextual complexities of psychological practice.

Question 5

styles of thinking

Answer 5

Definition: Specific approaches to reasoning and evidence use in psychology, shaped by epistemological traditions.

types:
- statistical thinking
- thinking in cases

Question 6

statistical thinking

Answer 6

Definition: Analysing phenomena using group-level data and probabilistic reasoning.

Strengths: Identifies trends and generalisable patterns.

Limitations: Lacks precision for individual cases.

Example: Determining that 20% of patients with high stress develop depression, but this may not apply to a specific individua

Question 7

Thinking in Cases

Answer 7

Definition: Understanding and reasoning about phenomena by focusing on unique, individual circumstances.

Process:
Observing patient behaviours and reactions.

Using theoretical frameworks and personal experience to construct explanations.

Example: A therapist using narrative therapy to explore a client’s personal story of grief

Question 8

Extending the Lab- Latour 1983

Answer 8

Latour (1983) describes the process of “extending the lab” as recreating laboratory conditions in the real world:

Insulation: Maintaining control over external influences to preserve the validity of the results.

Example: Psychotherapy sessions act as “insulated” environments where external distractions are minimised.

Scripting: Specifying instructions to configure users and ensure outcomes.

Example: A CBT manual for therapists prescribes structured session protocols​

Critique in Psychology:

Unlike physical sciences, psychological interventions often fail to recreate such insulation and scripting outside the lab, making real-world application more challengin

Question 9

Scripting

Answer 9

Definition: Prescribing specific actions or procedures to ensure desired outcomes from interventions.

Purpose: Minimises variability in implementation.

Example: A CBT manual providing step-by-step instructions for therapists​

Question 10

Insulating Processes

Answer 10

Definition: Creating controlled conditions to reduce external influences and ensure reliable intervention outcomes.

Example: Designing a therapy session to shield patients from environmental distractions

Question 11

Heterogeneity

Answer 11

Definition: Acknowledging the variability in patient characteristics and responses to interventions.

Implication: Calls for flexible and personalised approaches.

Example: Tailoring treatments for patients with comorbid disorders

Question 12

Situating Interventions

Answer 12

Definition: Ensuring interventions are delivered in appropriate contexts for maximum effectiveness.

Key Practices:
Aligning interventions with patients’ real-life environments.

Using cues and training to integrate interventions naturally.

Example: Mindfulness training delivered during workplace stress-reduction programmes

Question 14

Critique of APA’s model (Willemsen, 2016)

Answer 14

• says it mirrors Aristotle’s categories of knowledge
• APA’s emphasis on research evidence sidelines the importance of phronesis
• EBP overly relies o generalisable, population-data (RCTs) & ignores variability in individual cases
• critique of ‘flexibility and interpersonal skills’ - questions how relational kills (unique and context driven) can be integrated into a system focused on generalised evidence
• patient characteristics- argues that while this is important the APA doesn’t outline how to operationalise patient-centered approaches.

Question 15

Latours Critique on gap b/w theory & practice

Answer 15

Latour (1987) argues that there is no true gap between theory and practice.

Instead, science creates a network where theory is integrated with practice through specific processes.
Translation: Real-world problems are brought into the lab and transformed into small-scale, controllable processes.
Network Creation: Scientific facts only travel through the network of aligned actors (both human and non-human) that the laboratory creates​

• Science draws the world into the lab.
• Creates a network.
• And then extends the lab.

Question 16

Laboratory Work: Creating Controlled Processes

Answer 16

Small-Scale Processes:
Laboratories transform real-world phenomena into simplified, visible, and controllable experiments.

Example: Studying human behaviour in controlled lab conditions to uncover generalisable mechanisms.

Heterogeneous Networks:
Labs combine human (e.g., researchers) and non-human (e.g., instruments, data) actors in a collaborative system.

This setup ensures control over experimental variables, allowing for reproducibility.

Question 17

Behavioural Change and Situationism

Answer 17

Behavioural Engineering:
Techniques like nudging and priming are used to influence behaviour by altering contextual cues.

Example: Placing healthy food at eye level to encourage healthier choices.

Situationism:
Behaviour is highly context-sensitive, creating both opportunities and
challenges:

Strength: Contextual changes can alter behaviour predictably.

Problem: If behaviour depends on constantly shifting contexts, interventions may lose efficacy.

Question 18

Situated Conceptualisation (Barsalou, 2016)

Answer 18

Definition: People store memories of situations, not isolated concepts, which are reactivated in similar contexts.

Priming: A specific situational element triggers a cascade of associations stored in memory, influencing behaviour.

Heterogeneity: Responses to the same prime vary across individuals based on their unique experiences and situational memories​
.
Implications for Psychology:
Psychological interventions must consider individualised responses and contextual variability.
Priming effects are abundant but difficult to reproduce due to personal and situational differences

Question 19

Papies’ (2017) Framework for Situating Interventions

Answer 19

Situating Interventions:
Aligning interventions with the specific situational cues linked to target behaviours.

Example: Cueing healthy behaviour by placing reminders in relevant contexts like kitchens.

Attentional Bias Training:
Reduces sensitivity to negative stimuli through targeted exercises, insulating the individual from counterproductive influences.
Example: Mindfulness practices to decouple automatic responses from environmental triggers​
.
Challenges:
Situational variability and individual differences make generalisation difficult.
Residual influences outside the controlled intervention context remain unexplained

Question 20

Latour’s Broader Critique

Answer 20

Latour challenges the traditional distinction between theory and practice by emphasising the networked nature of science:

Scientific insights are only actionable when they align with real-world contexts.

Extending laboratory findings to practice requires consistent alignment of theory, processes, and actors

Question 21

conclusion

Answer 21

Relevance to Psychology:
Psychology must adopt tailored, situation-specific strategies to align with the variability of human behaviour.
Translational research, as proposed by Fiedler (2020) and Papies (2017), focuses on bridging this gap through situating interventions and insulation.

Challenges:
Psychological science struggles to replicate the level of control seen in physical sciences, making real-world applications more unpredictable