Assessment Log

The Scientific
Practitioner
Model

Development
(Shakow, 1941)

Shakow drafted his first training plan to educate clinical
psychology graduate students during a Conference at The New
York Psychiatric institute, now referred to Shakow’s 1941
American Association for Applied Psychology Report.
In the report, Shakow outlined a 4-year education track:

• Year 1: establish a strong foundation in psychology and
other applied sciences

• Year 2: learn therapeutic principles and practices needed to
treat patients

• Year 3: internship, gain supervised field experience

• Year 4: complete research dissertation

The Scientist-
Practitioner
Model (Boulder
Model)

The Scientist-Practitioner Model is a foundational
framework in psychology that emphasizes the
integration of scientific research and practical
application.

It was first introduced at the Boulder Conference in
1949 to guide the training of clinical psychologists, but it
has since influenced many applied psychology fields—
including Business Psychology.

The Scientist-
Practitioner
Model (Boulder
Model)

It means a professional is both a scientist and a
practitioner:

• As a scientist, they critically evaluate research, use
evidence-based practices, and may conduct their
own studies.

• As a practitioner, they apply psychological theories
and techniques to solve real-world problems.

The model encourages psychologists to integrate
science and practice, continuously learning from both.

5 Key Principles of this Model

1. Dual Identity: Scientist and Practitioner
2. Evidence-Based Practice
3. Critical Thinking and Research Skills
4. Ethical and Reflective Practice
5. Continuous Learning and Improvement

Evidence-Based Practice for
Mental Health Practitioners

Example: A clinical psychologist Dr. Lee

Scientist Side:
• Reads new research on how Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is being adapted

for young adults with social anxiety.
• critically reviews journal articles, attends conferences, and even collaborates

with university researchers to run a small study on this in her clinic.

Practitioner Side
• Sees a 20-year-old client, Alex, who is struggling with social anxiety at university.
• She selects CBT techniques that are evidence-based for someone in Alex’s age

group and context.

Example: A clinical psychologist Dr. Lee

The Integration
• Notices something interesting: many of her young clients are anxious not just

socially, but specifically when using social media.

• She keeps detailed notes, gathers feedback

• She eventually contributes to a research article on social-media-induced
anxiety in Gen Z, which she co-authors with a university researcher.

How about Business
psychologists?

Why Should You as Business Psychologists Care?

Even though you may not become clinical psychologists, you are also expected to
work as scientist-practitioners:
• You might use research to develop leadership programs or measure employee

wellbeing.
• You should critically evaluate the tools you use (like personality assessments or

engagement surveys)
• You may even conduct internal research to study the impact of workplace

interventions.

Reflection from a student studying organizational psychology

Thoughts about the Scientist-Practitioner model in an
organisational context | Rebecca Jackson

Group Activity (1)

Consult & Conclude

Experience both roles Scientist & Practitioner
in solving a real-world workplace
issue using psychology

What is
Evidence-

Based
Practice

• Fundamentally, evidence-based practice is practice
which is driven by evidence – both clinical and research
based

• We need to make safe and effective decisions for the
individuals we provide care for

• We have both a legal and ethical duty to make informed
decisions to ensure safety, expertise and best practice

• Within psychological sciences, evidence-based practice
is closely paralleled with medicine with the integration
of best research evidence with clinical expertise and
patient value (APA, 2001)

• Enhancing public health and promoting effective
psychological practice to promote mental health is
fundamental in the psychological sciences

Evidence-
Based

Practice in
Psychology

• Research evidence improves access to services for
those deemed vulnerable adults and young people

• NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence)
regularly review and publish guidelines for practitioners,
commissioners and adults, their families and carers
periodically

• Commissioners and healthcare providers have a duty to
ensure the healthcare system is sustainable and
continuously improving whilst simultaneously delivering
safe care to the communities it serves

• Although the psychological branches may have unique
differences, the central focus remains

• The purpose of delivering clinical expertise and research
driven evidence-based care which subsequently further
informs and improves health policies

Evidence-based practice in organizational settings
Briner, Denyer, and Rousseau (2009)

1. Scientific research evidence – Empirical findings from
psychological and management research.

2. Organizational facts, metrics, and data – Contextual
evidence such as performance indicators, employee
surveys, and HR analytics.

3. Practitioner expertise – The judgment and
accumulated experience of professionals who
understand the organizational context.

4. Stakeholders’ concerns, values, and preferences –
Input from those affected by the decisions, including
employees, managers, and clients.

Evidence

Systematic Reviews and meta-analyses

Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs) with definitive
results

RCTs with non-definitive results

Cohort studies

Case-control studies

Cross sectional surveys

Case reports

Heard of this before – True or False ?

1. People learn better when they receive info in their preferred style(visual,
auditory, kinesthetic)

2. We only use 10% of our brain
3. Left right brain dominance can explain learning differences in people
4. Vigorous exercise lead to better brain function
5. Eye movements—such as looking up and to the right—can indicate whether

someone is lying

Group Activity (2)

Evaluate critically whether these
five statements are true.

The Learning Styles
Neuromyth Is Still Thriving in
Medical Education – PMC

Neuromyths

A neuromyth is a misconception or misunderstanding about brain function and
neuroscience, often arising from the misinterpretation, oversimplification, or
misuse of scientific findings. In the context of education, neuromyths can
influence teaching practices in ways that are ineffective or even counterproductive
(Howard-Jones, 2014).

Neuromyths often gain popularity because they are intuitive or appealing, even
when they are not supported by evidence from cognitive neuroscience or
educational psychology.

Five common Neuromyths in Education

1. People Learn Better When Taught in Their Preferred Learning Style (e.g., Visual,
Auditory, Kinesthetic)

2. We Only Use 10% of Our Brains
3. Left-Brain vs. Right-Brain Learners
4. Drinking More Water Improves Brain Function in the Classroom
5. Listening to Classical Music (e.g., Mozart) Improves Intelligence (The Mozart

Effect)

References

• Chabris, C. F. (1999). Prelude or requiem for the ‘Mozart effect’? Nature,
400(6747), 826–827.

• Howard-Jones, P. A. (2014). Neuroscience and education: Myths and messages.
Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 15(12), 817–824.

• Nielsen, J. A., Zielinski, B. A., Ferguson, M. A., et al. (2013). An evaluation of the
left-brain vs. right-brain hypothesis with resting state functional connectivity
magnetic resonance imaging. PLOS ONE, 8(8), e71275.

• Pashler, H., McDaniel, M., Rohrer, D., & Bjork, R. (2008). Learning styles:
Concepts and evidence. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 9(3), 105–
119.

• Sousa, D. A. (2010). How the brain learns (4th ed.). Corwin.

QUESTIONS?