Synergy (EHPS)

The SYNERGY annual three-day workshop is organised to provide an opportunity for synergistic discussion between health psychologists conducting research in core fields within health psychology. The focus is on advancing the standard of work within the field by pooling expertise, sharing critical evaluations, and stimulating networking and collaborative research between researchers from all over Europe in an informal and supportive atmosphere. The aim is to develop improved theoretical and methodological approaches, as well as practical applications in respect of the workshop topic. It is an opportunity for researchers to present their research for discussion in depth with other experts working in the same field in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. By focusing on a core topic on which all participants have some expertise and have conducted research (published and unpublished), we would expect to reach a shared understanding of the strengths, weaknesses and opportunities in the area. We hope that this will influence future research and its application in the field.

• 11th Synergy workshop (2013): Methods for Changing Environmental Conditions for Health: influencing organisations, key actors and stakeholders (Gerjo Kok (NL) and Rob Ruiter (NL))
• 10th Synergy workshop (2012): Mixed methodology in Health Psychology: using Pragmatism to overcome the ‘irreconcilable epistemological differences’ between quantitative and qualitative methods (Rachel Shaw (UK) and Paul Flowers (UK))
  We also celebrated our 10th anniversary! See here for the captions from the caption competition.
• 9th Synergy workshop (2011): Testing Theory and Intervention within Individuals: Theoretical issues and the use of N-of-1 and related methods of data analysis (Derek Johnston (UK), Marie Johnston (UK) & Diane Dixon (UK))
• 8th Synergy workshop (2010): Beyond talk and text: Stretching and enriching qualitative research practice (Kerry Chamberlain (New Zealand))
• 7th Synergy workshop (2009): Pragmatics of running clinical trials: Design, management and the processes of change (Rona Moss-Morris (UK), Trudie Chalder (UK), Alison Wearden (UK),Gijs Bleijenberg (Netherlands))
• 6th Synergy workshop (2008): Internet-based Health Psychology Interventions: Maximising their Potential (Lucy Yardley (UK), Pål Kraft (Norway), Stephen Sutton (UK))
• 5th Synergy workshop (2007): Culture, health and illness representations – Developing an international agenda for cross-cultural health psychological research (Michael Diefenbach (US), Jeanne Edman (US) & Alison Karasz (US))
• 4th Synergy workshop (2006): Behavioral Interventions: Bridging the Gap between Theory, Evidence and Intervention Research (Susan Michie (UK), Pascal Sheeran (UK), Alexander Rothman (USA))
• 3rd Synergy workshop (2005): Emotional Processes and Health: The Role Of Emotional Disclosure (James Pennebaker (USA) & Bernard Rimé (Belgium))
• 2nd Synergy workshop (2004): Illness Representations (John Weinman (UK) & Keith Petrie (New Zealand))
• 1st Synergy workshop (2003): Risk Perception and Risk Communication (Marie Johnston (UK), Susan Michie (UK) & Stephen Sutton (UK))