DBASSE Mission

DBASSE Mission

The Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education – one of five divisions within the National Research Council – works to advance the frontiers of the behavioral and social sciences and their applications to public policy.

The goal of our work is to provide independent, evidence-based advice to decision-makers on key questions of national importance, such as:

What is the best way to measure levels of poverty in the United States?
How do parents, teachers, and policymakers know how well students are learning?
How can the public participate most effectively in decision-making about the environment?
Why does life expectancy differ greatly among high-income countries, and how can the answer to that question help increase the life expectancy of Americans in the future?

To answer questions such as these, we gather experts from many disciplines who volunteer their services on study committees to provide independent, objective advice to federal agencies, Congress, foundations, and others through publicly issued reports. DBASSE produces over 30 such reports a year.

In addition to our reports, we hold workshops and symposia where researchers and policy makers can deepen their understanding of research in the social and behavioral sciences and related policy issues.

left image

text caption

center image

New Report! More coordinated planning and improvements to training and technology in mine safety operations could better prepare underground coal miners for escape, says a new report Improving Self-Escape from Underground Coal Mines ► Read more

Recent Report! The fifth edition of a report from the National Research Council describes four fundamental principles and recommends 13 practices that would best position a federal statistical agency to provide accurate and credible statistical information to policymakers and the public. ► Read More

New Report! The report Benefits, Burdens, and Prospects of the American Communicty Survey (ACS) looks at the contours of the ACS user constituency—including applications in media, business, and legal proceedings as well as uses by the state and local agencies—and provides important input to the ongoing review and refinement of the ACS program.