Our Services

Critica has developed specific materials on evidence-based techniques for effective communication about scientific data and evidence and communication techniques to combat science denial. We offer special trainings and continuing education for the following groups:

• Journalists: Training focus is on how to account for reader psychology when writing about scientific evidence and how to interact with readers who deny scientific evidence. Emphasis is on presenting scientific information correctly, objectively, and usefully.
• Healthcare Providers: Training focus is on how to communicate with patients who are hesitant about evidence-based medical technologies and treatments such as vaccination or who demand unnecessary or unproven treatments and how to interact with other healthcare providers who dismiss evidence-based treatment standards.
• Science Educators: Training focus is on how to develop curricular materials that expose children to a more realistic view of science and how to develop students and young thinkers with the critical thinking abilities needed to navigate false scientific claims. Emphasis is on providing life-long ability to understand new scientific developments and make well-informed, data-driven personal decisions.
• Government Agencies & Officials: Training focus is on how to communicate evidence to the general public in a way that’s both engaging and persuasive and how to manage false claims and public denial of scientific evidence.

Critica works with organizations of all kinds and from a variety of disciplines to effect various forms of behavior change. We help organizations develop the necessary tools to ensure evidence-based decision-making.

Our process generally proceeds as follows:

• An audit of the current barriers to behavior change through a combination of stakeholder interviews and our own knowledge of the relevant scientific literature
• A proposed pilot behavior change strategy based on a thorough understanding of the current barriers and our expertise in evidence-based methods from psychology, neuroscience, and other relevant social sciences
• An evaluation of the results of the pilot behavior change strategy
• A recommendation on scale-up and/or modifications to the strategy based on the evaluation

Critica provides consulting services to organizations that need to communicate evidence in a persuasive, engaging manner. Using our expertise in psychology and neuroscience, we help organizations understand the psychology of their audiences and provide strategies to maximize the efficacy of their messages. We offer these services to any organization that needs to communicate research and evidence, including non-profit organizations, foundations and think tanks, government organizations, and private sector entities.

Many communications aimed at influencing the public about scientific issues are made without assessing whether they are effective. With our many years of experience in conducting research studies, Critica assists organizations with design of meaningful experiments using rigorous, state-of-the-art methods that assess the efficacy of a variety of planned interventions. We also assist in analyzing the subsequent data and writing reports for dissemination and publication.

Critica co-founders and co-authors of the popular book Denying to the Grave: Why We Ignore the Facts That Will Save Us are available for speaking engagements on a wide variety of topics, including the psychology of science denial, effective science education and communication, and strategies for dealing with public denial of facts and evidence. We speak regularly for audiences from academic institutions, non-profit and private sector organizations, government agencies, and journalist associations. For speaking requests, please contact us here.

Press inquiries should be directed to our publicist, Suzanne Balaban, at 212-796-5895 or suzanne@bmmworldwide.com.