Document Type
Article
Publication Date
4-1-2024
Published In
Behavioral Science & Policy
Abstract
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.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Recommended Citation
S. O'Flaherty, L. Martin, Syon Bhanot, C. Hall, S. Jilke, T. Simko, and M. Steffel.
(2024).
"How Academics & Policymakers Can Collaborate Effectively: Lessons From Using Behavioral Science To Improve U.S. Federal Government Policies".
Behavioral Science & Policy.
Volume 10,
Issue 1.
35-42.
DOI: 10.1177/23794607241264102
https://works.swarthmore.edu/fac-economics/539
Comments
This work is freely available under a Creative Commons license.