Replication Data for: Single Conversations Expand Practitioners' Use of Research: Evidence from a Field Experiment

Many people seek to increase practitioners’ use of research evidence in decision-making. Two common strategies are dissemination and interaction. Dissemination can reach a wide audience at once, yet interactive strategies can be especially beneficial because they entail back-and-forth conversations with practitioners to clarify how research evidence applies in a particular context. To date, however, we lack direct evidence of the impact of interaction above and beyond dissemination. Partnering with an international sustainability-oriented NGO, I conducted a field experiment to test the impact of an interactive strategy (a single conversation) on practitioners’ use of research evidence in a pending decision. I find that the conversation had a large impact on research use relative to only receiving disseminated materials, and this was likely due to increased self-efficacy. I also provide practical guidance on how researchers can apply this finding close to home as they seek to strengthen linkages between science and society.

诸多研究者致力于提升实务工作者在决策制定过程中对研究证据的应用水平。当前常见的两类推广策略为传播推广与互动交流。传播推广策略可一次性触达广泛受众，但互动式策略往往更具优势，因其可实现与实务工作者的双向对话，从而厘清研究证据在特定场景下的应用方式。然而截至目前，学界尚未获取能够证明互动策略相较于单纯传播推广具有额外增益效果的直接实证证据。本研究与一家以可持续发展为导向的非政府组织（NGO）合作，开展了一项田野实验，以检验互动式策略（单次对话）对实务工作者在待决决策中应用研究证据的影响。研究结果显示，相较于仅接收传播材料的组别，单次对话对研究证据的应用产生了显著正向影响，这一效应大概率源于实务工作者自我效能感的提升。此外，本文还针对科研人员如何将本研究结论应用于本土场景、强化科学与社会之间的联结，提供了实操性指导建议。