FABBS reports on items of interest to many communities – scientists, policymakers, and the public. In our news, you will see updates on science funding and policy, articles that translate research for policy, and descriptions of the research contributions of scientists at all stages of their research careers.
Biased? Probably.
January 22, 2021
Ever left an Airbnb without waving a friendly good-bye to the hosts? If you’re white, probably no big deal. If you’re Black, well the hosts may have thought you were trying to hide something.
New research in Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences uses this scenario and others as examples of implicit bias based on a person’s “category,” such as race or gender.
Often people are not aware their impressions of someone are rooted in
read moreQ&A with David Johnson, Former Executive Director
January 21, 2021
As we commemorate 40 years of the Federation of Associations in Behavioral & Brain Sciences (FABBS), we have invited former FABBS Executive Directors to reflect on their time in the role.
In this Q&A, we spoke with David Johnson, who served as Executive Director from 1988-2000, with insights on the growth of behavioral and social science at federal agencies over time.
During your tenure, federal agencies took significant steps to advance the behavioral and
read moreDatabase of Police Outcomes May Be First Step to Reduce Racial Bias
January 21, 2021
Not only are black people more likely than white people to be stopped by police, but new research in Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences documents that the darker you are, the more likely you are to be shot.
Conversely white people with very white skin are less likely to have force used against them. “Whiteness serve(s) as a protective factor,” Kimberly Barsamian Kahn and Karin D. Martin explain in “The Social Psychology of Racially Biased
read morePresident Biden Announced Key Picks for OSTP and PCAST
January 21, 2021
Days before taking office, then President-Elect Biden announced appointments to the Office of Science Policy and Technology (OSTP) and the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST). The timing of these appointments demonstrates a strong interest in and commitment to science in the next administration. Under the previous administration, the position of OSTP Director sat empty for nearly two years. Acting quickly to make OSTP appointments was a
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