How Randomization and Testing Can Generate Knowledge

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I'm really interested in this model of building studies into the work of distributing something or building randomization to that process. So one example where we've actually applied this is with our app Mindy's for people with anxiety. We actually made it so that there's some randomization occurring in some cases to figure out which parts of the app are working well and then we're able to take those learnings and apply it across the other users. But of course, everyone benefits from that and also gives us this feedback loop.

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Can giving people a sense of agency and dignity be better than giving them access to food, shelter, clothing, or cash? And what exactly can be done in practice to expand human agency? How does the value of agency-oriented interventions compare to the value of more tangible interventions? How robust are the findings about all of the above in light of the replication crisis? In general, how much confidence should we place (with or without the replication crisis) in the findings of social science research? How tight should the feedback loop be for organizations that do both research for and implementation of charitable interventions?

Richard Sedlmayr works with a private foundation called the Wellspring Philanthropic Fund, where he funds research and innovation to promote pro-poor economic development. He is also involved in the setup of The Agency Fund, a philanthropic partnership investing in ideas and organizations that support people in the navigation of difficult lives. Richard's background is in behavioral, development, and financial economics, and he has a PhD in Public Policy from Oxford. Richard has lived in a dozen countries and is currently based in the Bay Area. You can get in touch with him on LinkedIn.

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