Behavioral Science and Decision Making in Context program – Nov 7

Posted by Russel Sage Foundation on October 17, 2023

Russel Sage Foundation invites letters of inquiry for Behavioral Science and Decision Making in Context program

The Russel Sage Foundation was established in 1907 by Mrs. Margaret Olivia Sage for “the improvement of social and living conditions in the United States.” The foundation now dedicates itself to strengthening the social sciences’ methods, data, and theoretical core to understand societal problems better and develop informed responses.

The foundation invites applications for its Behavioral Science and Decision Making in Context program, which encourages perspectives from multiple disciplines, including economics, psychology, political science, sociology, law, public policy, and other social sciences, to further our understanding of economic, social, and political decision-making processes, attitudes, behaviors, and institutional practices in public and private contexts such as policing/criminal legal systems, employment, housing, politics, racial/ethnic relations, and immigration.

The kinds of topics and questions that are of interest include but are not limited to:

Biases and Misperceptions: An important contribution of behavioral science has been to analyze the extent to which biases (racial/ethnic, skin color, socioeconomic status, immigration status, political, gender, etc.) and misperceptions affect attitudes and behaviors and to test interventions that might correct these biases and misperceptions. RSF is interested in research examining the extent to which implicit and explicit biases and misperceptions affect attitudes and behaviors in employment, criminal, judicial, political, educational, and other settings and the consequences of these actions.

Institutions, Policies, Social Structures, and Networks: Institutional actors may hold implicit and explicit biases and misperceptions, which may be reflected and maintained through institutional policies and practices. In this way, systemic racism can be embedded through laws and regulations within society or an organization. It can contribute to discrimination in criminal justice, employment, housing, political power, and educational attainment, among other outcomes. Similarly, decisions are made within social structures and the context of social networks. Networks can influence decisions regarding voting, protesting, job search, college enrollment, and other behaviors relevant to social and economic mobility, poverty, and inequality. RSF is interested in research examining the extent to which and how institutions, policies, social structures, and networks affect attitudes and behavior.

Motivations, Incentives, and Choice Architecture: Individuals respond to incentives and various social, political, psychological, economic, and cultural motivations. Moreover, how options are presented to individuals (choice architecture) can impact their behavior. RSF is interested in researching the consequences of choice architecture and motivated behavior for social, economic, and political inequalities.

Habits, Time Preferences, Mental Bandwidth, and Behavior Change: Many human behaviors are habitual, intuitive, taken-for-granted, or otherwise not reflective. Time preferences and burdens on mental bandwidth (e.g., due to poverty or other scarcity) shape conscious and subconscious behaviors. RSF is interested in research examining how consequential habits are formed and changed and the extent to which habits, mental burdens, and preferences affect social, economic, and political attitudes and behaviors.

Affect and Emotions: Emotions can consciously and subconsciously shape attitudes and behaviors. RSF is interested in supporting research that examines the extent to which emotions influence social, economic, legal, and political attitudes and behaviors.

All applicants (both PIs and co-PIs) must have a doctorate. In rare circumstances, RSF may consider applications from scholars who do not hold a doctorate but can demonstrate a strong career background that establishes their ability to conduct high-level, peer-reviewed, scholarly research.

Letters of inquiry are due November 7, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. ET, and selected applicants will be invited to submit a full application, due February 21, 2024.

For complete program guidelines and application instructions, see the Russell Sage Foundation website.

Deadline: November 7, 2023 at 2:00 p.m ET (Letters of Inquiry)