October 23, 2019
The National Academies of Sciences, Division of Behavioral, Social Sciences and Education (DBASSE) Advisory Committee met for their fall meeting on October 10. The open session began with an update from Russ Shilling, Chief Scientific Officer, American Psychological Association, on “Psychology, Technology and Society”. Dr. Shilling was followed by a panel of representatives from federal agencies speaking on the challenges and opportunities for social and behavioral sciences. Speakers included: Arthur “Skip” Lupia, Director, Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences, NSF; David Montgomery, Director, Minerva Research Initiative; William Riley, Director of the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research, NIH; William Klein, Associate Director of the Behavioral Research Program, National Cancer Institute, NIH, and Elisabeth “Libby” Larson, Scientist, NASA.
The afternoon session included presentations about computational social science (CSS) and how it is being used to inform or advance social issues. Speakers included Duncan Watts, University of Pennsylvania; Matthew Salganik, Princeton University; and Jen Schradie, Sciences Po. A discussion about the potential role for DBASSE or the Academies in advancing CSS followed.
That evening, Jennifer Eberhardt, Professor, Department of Psychology, Stanford University delivered the Henry and Bryna David Lecture: “Biased: Uncovering the Hidden Prejudice That Shapes What We See, Think, and Do.” Dr. Eberhardt, a social psychologist, investigates the consequences of the psychological association between race and crime, using interdisciplinary collaborations and a wide array of methods. Her work has revealed the startling extent to which racial imagery and judgments suffuse our culture and society, shaping actions and outcomes in the area of criminal justice.
