Behavioral Science & Policy

The field of behavioral public policy (BPP) has grown rapidly in the past 10 years, as is indicated by the rising numbers of BPP bodies that routinely apply insights and methods from behavioral science to improving the effectiveness and efficiency of public policy. This article reports on a count showing that between 2018 and 2024, the number of BPP bodies grew worldwide from 201 to 631 and increased on all continents. The article also summarizes results from a survey that asked representatives from 10 BPP bodies that varied by locale, political and cultural environment, and longevity to describe their group’s mission, functions, policy areas, challenges, and lessons for others. Common challenges include setting expectations, sustainability, and bridging the research–policy gap. Results from both the global analysis and the survey highlight that being in an “ecosystem” that includes outside advisors with experience in applying behavioral science and running local programs can enhance efficacy. Other lessons from the survey include the importance of focusing on solving problems rather than on applying a particular kind of intervention, being multidisciplinary (for example, by involving people with expertise in project management), designing for scale, presenting data in the context of a larger narrative, and formalizing operating procedures.

This article explores why private sector adoption of behavioral science has been limited and shares strategies for expanding its integration into businesses. After outlining three core barriers to adoption, the author proposes solutions for more effectively communicating the field’s value to business leaders—solutions rooted in his personal experience and supported by observations shared by other successful practitioners. He then focuses on actions that the broader behavioral science community (including academics, policymakers, and practitioners) can take to promote the private sector’s long-term adoption of behavioral science.

Evidence-based decision-making (EBDM)—using the best available evidence from multiple sources to make informed decisions—is critical to the successful functioning of any organization. Much of the literature on EBDM has focused on the decision-maker as an individual. Yet to be most efficient and effective, EBDM requires extensive communication with others. Our review of the body of research on EBDM shows that it is typical for several individuals and groups to contribute to evidence-based decisions. These varied participants provide the skills and knowledge needed to incorporate diverse types of evidence into the decision process. We have found that conversations and interactions through three distinct networks contribute to successful EBDM. These networks consist of decision-makers and their staff and either (a) researchers in a relevant field; (b) stakeholders in the community or organization; or (c) colleagues with similar responsibilities and challenges, which we call communities of practice. Building social connections with people in each of these networks enhances a person’s ability to make good decisions for an organization. It is therefore imperative that organizations engaging in EBDM have ongoing programs and policies geared toward creating and maintaining these three critical connections.

The U.S. government administers many public programs and services. Creating programs that work requires an understanding of the psychological processes that influence behavior. To this end, policymakers may collaborate with academics who have expertise in behavioral science to generate ideas for improving existing programs, procedures, or policies; to test existing programs; or to design wholly new programs that address societal problems. Such collaborations also enable academics to test new or established theories in real-world settings. In this article, we draw on our collective experience in the U.S. Office of Evaluation Sciences, where we have worked on studies that evaluate various federal programs, to outline some of the core issues that make research collaborations between academics and government agents challenging. We also offer tips for making these partnerships productive and mutually beneficial.

Universities in the United States face a challenging historic moment, as enrollment declines and trust in higher education decreases. One way universities can demonstrate their value is to enhance the generation, recognition, and visibility of societally impactful research, which addresses pressing large-scale challenges and often involves collaboration with stakeholders outside of academia. The path forward requires strong faculty incentives for conducting such research (which will require reforms in tenure and promotion criteria) and administrative structures that support these forms of scholarship. Fortunately, a range of universities, academic associations, and funding organizations are working to encourage such changes, providing models for advancing societally impactful research. Drawing on a recent report describing these efforts, the authors of this article highlight a range of emerging approaches for fostering societally impactful research and suggest strategies for making further progress in this area. By increasing their capacity to produce societally impactful research, universities can enhance how faculty bring their knowledge and expertise to bear on local, national, and global issues and can thereby more effectively fulfill their institutional missions.