The NIH Science of Behavior Change (SOBC) Common Fund Program celebrated its tenth anniversary with a Capstone Research Conference. SOBC’s objective is to promote behavioral change science with an emphasis on processes and the incorporation of fundamental research into applied/ interventional research. The capstone conference provided critical examples of behavioral modification experiments that had an impact on health outcomes.
On February 22nd, three panels of scientists discussed their findings with the goal of accelerating the transition from fundamental science to applied/ interventional science. Topics included:
- Basic science that promotes a common understanding of systems or structures that drive change in behavior;
- Tools that allow scientists to accurately measure improvements in the processes which are forced to guide behavioral progress- it is critical to understand why and how approaches function;
- Scientific advances that pursue the behavioral improvement process.
On February 23rd, two panels discussed integrative study testing and intervention in the target population, the method of execution, and the assessment of the validity of the behavioral adjustment process. They focused on existing activities and examined how best to continue to achieve rigor, reproducibility, transparency, and diffusion of scientific processes and measures.
The conference ended with a conversation focusing on academic organizations, scientific communities, and partners that will:
- foster coherent behavioral management theory;
- seek to apply new fundamental sciences to stimulate the study of underlying universal mechanisms, and;
- inspire interventions through a wide variety of wellness activities.
The aim of this conference was to promote science through institutional discourse, new approaches towards a cohesive landscape of science, and behavioral change.
We would like to recognize members of FABBS societies that were a part of the panels. Thank you to Elissa Epel, Paige Green, Brian Nosek, and Russell Poldrack.
