White House Issues Blueprint for Use of Social and Behavioral Science in Policymaking
Last month, the White House released a report promoting better use of social and behavioral science research in evidence-based policymaking across the federal government. This document places a long-overdue spotlight on the social and behavioral sciences and their utility in addressing some of the country’s most pressing challenges.
The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) released the Blueprint for the Use of Social and Behavioral Science to Advance Evidence-Based Policymaking in May. The blueprint is the product of nearly two years of work by social and behavioral science experts from across federal agencies and departments.
The development of a framework for social and behavioral science use in policymaking was first announced in 2022 when the Biden Administration rechartered the National Science and Technology Council’s (NSTC) Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBS) Subcommittee, an interagency group of social and behavioral science experts tasked with coordinating the social and behavioral sciences research agendas across agencies and departments to contribute to evidence-based policymaking. In addition, the blueprint responds to directives included in the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018, President Biden’s Executive Order on Advancing Racial Equity and Support of Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government (EO 13985), and the 2021 Presidential Memorandum on Restoring Trust in Government Through Scientific Integrity and Evidence-Based Policymaking.
The document released last month takes a whole-of-government approach to assist agencies and departments with leveraging social and behavioral science insights to improve federal policies, programs, and services to the American people. It makes six recommendations for better incorporating social and behavioral science research into the work of federal agencies and outlines five immediate actions.
Read the full report here.