Because It Makes an Outsized Impact on Policy
Why Social Science?
by Wendy Naus
3w ago
By Camille Gamboa (AVP of Corporate Communications at Sage) We know that social and behavioral science (SBS) has a hold on the conversation when institutional and government decision-makers parley over what goes into ‘policy.’ But oftentimes the SBS researchers whose own work goes into policy are unaware that they’re making an impact in the real world and are stymied from amplifying their findings or using them to advance their careers or fields. With this in mind, Sage partnered with Overton to create Sage Policy Profiles, a free-to-use tool that enables researchers to discover the real-world ..read more
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Because It Helps Us Incorporate Lived Experience into Health Research
Why Social Science?
by Wendy Naus
1M ago
By Monica N. Feit, Ph.D. (Executive Director of the Health and Medicine Division, NASEM) There is a growing recognition in the scientific community that health research is richer when it incorporates the perspectives of those with lived experience. What is lived experience? It is the unique expertise provided by individuals who have been directly affected by specific health issues. It could come from a patient or their caregiver, or from members of a community who have experienced something collectively, such as adverse health effects from contaminated drinking water. Those with lived experien ..read more
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Because It Can Explain How the Next Technological Revolution Impacts Our Lives and the Communities We Care About
Why Social Science?
by Wendy Naus
4M ago
By Rayvon Fouché, Ph.D. (Northwestern University) For those reading nearly any media outlet during 2023, it is hard to miss the fact that Artificial Intelligence (AI)–in all its varied manifestations–is a regularized component of public discussion and debate. The celebrated and feared emergence of ChatGPT in late 2022, the Writers Guild of America strike and the concerns that writing would cease to be a human endeavor, and the recent firing and subsequent rehiring of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman clearly illustrate that AI is having a moment. So much so that prediction and forecasting site Metaculus i ..read more
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Because Psychologically Healthy Workplaces Contribute to a Psychologically Healthy Population
Why Social Science?
by Wendy Naus
6M ago
By Mark Chan, Ph.D., and Dennis P. Stolle, JD, Ph.D. (American Psychological Association) An average full-time worker spends about 40 hours a week working. Assuming retirement at 67 years old, an average person will spend approximately 90,000 hours, or 10 years, of their life working. Given this, and the extent to which our work can shape our self-identities, it is not a stretch to say that psychologically healthy workplaces are critical for population mental health. That is, psychologically healthy workplaces meaningfully contribute to a mentally healthy population. Before continuing, let’s d ..read more
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Because It Can Help Students Find Their Place in Fighting Climate Change
Why Social Science?
by Wendy Naus
8M ago
By Clare Cunningham Ph.D., Catherine Heinemeyer, Ph.D., and Jude Parks, Ph.D. (York St John University) Universities have the resources to help combat the climate crisis. What’s more, they have a responsibility to their students – who want to take action, but may lack the support they need to do so. One way universities can do this is to help students use their skills to contribute to university- and community-wide projects. This can create real change, as well as teaching students how to take collaborative action. In 2019, we started a research project with colleagues at York St Joh ..read more
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Because It Can Shed Light on Representation in the STEM Workforce
Why Social Science?
by Wendy Naus
9M ago
By Amy Burke, Program Director for Science, Technology, and Innovation Analysis, (NCSES, NSF) & Julia Milton, Communications Specialist (NCSES, NSF) Every 2 years, the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) within the National Science Foundation (NSF) publishes a congressionally mandated report on the demographic makeup of the population working in and studying science and engineering (S&E). For decades, the employment section of this report largely focused on those working in S&E occupations, which generally require at least a 4-year degree. However, a thri ..read more
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Because Social Scientists Must Have a Seat at the Table: Reflections from COSSA’s 2023 Social Science Advocacy Day
Why Social Science?
by Wendy Naus
10M ago
Contributors: Deborah Carr, Boston University; Nicole R. Stokes, Penn State University; and Brenna Tosh, Cornell University On April 24-25, 2023, over 50 social and behavioral science researchers, students, and advocates from 11 different states participated in Social Science Advocacy Day. This annual event, organized by in the Consortium of Social Science Associations (COSSA), brings together advocates from across the country to discuss with Members of Congress and their staff the importance of funding federal agencies and programs that support social and behavioral science research. This yea ..read more
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Because Gun Violence Requires Social Science Solutions
Why Social Science?
by Wendy Naus
1y ago
By Jennifer Dineen, Ph.D. (University of Connecticut), Kerri Raissian, Ph.D. (University of Connecticut), and Cassandra Crifasi, Ph.D. (Johns Hopkins University)  America’s gun death rate is unacceptably high – it is well beyond that of any other developed country.  In 2020, there were 45,222 gun related deaths, with 24,264 (54%) of those being suicides and 20,958 (46%) being homicides.  Within America, gun violence is the leading cause of death for children (defined as persons being under the age of 18), and it is among the top 5 causes of death of those under the age of 44.&nb ..read more
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Because It Can Help Us Maintain Safer Workplaces
Why Social Science?
by Wendy Naus
1y ago
 By Jesus M. de la Garza, Ph.D. (Clemson University), E. Scott Geller, Ph.D. (Virginia Tech), and Sogand Hasanzadeh, Ph.D. (Purdue University)  Interventions designed to keep people safe can have hidden side effects. With an increased perception of safety, some people are more likely to take risks. For example, some vehicle drivers take more risks when they are buckled up in a shoulder-and-lap belt. Some construction workers step closer to the edge of the roof because they are hooked to a fall-protection rope. Some parents of young children take less care wit ..read more
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Because It’s the Most Reliable Way to Understand the Public’s Point of View
Why Social Science?
by Wendy Naus
1y ago
By Kathy Frankovic, Ph.D., Former Director of Surveys at CBS News When it comes to opinion research, it sometimes isn’t just a matter of meeting scientific standards, but about assuaging doubts about whether measuring should be done at all. This is especially true these days when questions have been raised about the accuracy of scientific polling in recent elections. Some of the criticisms made after the 2016 and 2020 elections were helpful, and survey researchers responded as scientists —reviewing their methods and making improvements where necessary and possible. Other criticisms are often t ..read more
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