How to See Through the Spin: Empirical Literacy

Every day, we are faced with countless claims and persuasive messages. Most of those messages are trying to sell us something: Our toothbrush cleans better than others do, this new app reduces stress, or our new leadership training will help you and your team thrive.

But how do we know what to trust? What’s really the best argument? What does the evidence actually say? To answer these questions, we need empirical literacy.

What Is Empirical Literacy?

Empirical literacy is the ability to discern whether a claim is backed by evidence. It is fluency in evaluating persuasive messages and judging the quality of the evidence behind them. When someone presents an argument ostensibly supported by evidence—whether in marketing, leadership advice, or a health claim—empirical literacy is the skill that helps us size it up and determine its validity.

This skill is especially critical when evaluating claims about psychological topics. Psychology research often deals with concepts that are difficult to measure, and concepts about which most people already have intuitive beliefs. That makes it fertile ground for sophistry, against which empirical literacy is our weapon.

A Quick Example of Empirical Literacy

Imagine you’re looking at a bar chart like the one in Figure 1, that claims Company A’s training program improves leadership. Before you’re ready to buy in, ask yourself: Do the data actually support the claim? What else would you need to know to answer this question? Is the evidence strong enough to justify spending a lot of money?

(The answer is: The data, as presented, do not support the claim! You would need to know several more facts, such as the starting ability of the two groups, the nature and validity of the leadership aptitude test, and more, to judge whether the claim is supported.)

Source: Author/ Patrick Gallagher

Source: Author/ Patrick Gallagher

This is where empirical literacy comes in. It gives you the tools to break down claims, assess the quality of the supporting evidence, and make better decisions.

Related Concepts

Empirical literacy overlaps with other established fields, especially the philosophy of science, but I see it as focused on a small slice of that area. Empirical literacy is an ability that anyone can build by learning some core principles and questions to ask when evaluating persuasive claims. It is built on some of the key points found in the philosophy of science, distilled into practical principles for everyday use.

Empirical literacy also connects with fields like evidence-based medicine and evidence-based management, but is focused on a narrow component of them: the consumer’s ability to judge the validity and strength of the evidence they’re dealing with.

"Data literacy" is another overlapping concept. Data literacy seems to be understood as the ability to handle, process, and analyze data. Some definitions of data literacy include the ability to discern what it means, and thus, overlap with empirical literacy.

However, empirical literacy focuses on judging whether the data is evidence of anything (as Alex Edmans writes, “data is not evidence”). Someone could have a lot of compelling data to point to when making a claim, but it may not actually constitute evidence that supports that claim. Empirical literacy is the skill that allows the consumer to discern if and how much the data support the claims.

The Importance of Empirical Literacy

Persuasive claims are everywhere. They are meant to influence our choices about everything from small purchases to major financial investments to lifestyle choices, all of which could affect our long-term well-being.

You probably already recognize when someone is trying to sell you something. You likely also understand, at a basic level, when evidence supports a claim or falls short. But marketing and PR teams have become so sophisticated in presenting persuasive claims that it’s harder than ever to critically evaluate them.

To evaluate these claims accurately and make wise decisions, we need to understand some fundamental principles of what constitutes strong versus weak evidence. And, crucially, we need to know how to apply those principles to real-world situations.

That’s why empirical literacy is essential. When you develop this skill, you gain the ability to cut through the noise, assess claims with confidence, and make choices based on real evidence.