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.
Why Affirmative Action Isn’t Sufficient to Counter Racial Bias
The last few years have seen emotional conversations about race in America, including the role of racial bias in the criminal justice system. Despite the important issues these conversations have raised, we may not be paying enough attention to how variations in skin tone and other physical features affect different degrees of bias even within racial groups, according to Keith Maddox and Jennifer Perry.
In an article for Policy Insights from the Behavioral Sciences, the researchers summarize
read moreUnderstanding the Role of Genes and Environment in Substance Use and Mental Illness
October 30, 2018
We know genetics plays a role in substance use and mental illness, but to what extent is environment a factor? Or does one behavior or condition trigger the other?
These are among the questions Dr. Karin Verweij tries to answer in her studies of cannabis use and its associations with mental illness. She has performed twin studies to estimate the heritability of cannabis and ecstasy use. In a twin study the resemblance of identical twins is compared with that of
read moreMichael C. Frank Featured at NIH’s Behavioral and Social Sciences Meeting
October 30, 2018
At a recent meeting of the NIH’s Behavioral and Social Sciences Research Coordinating Committee, Michael C. Frank of Stanford University spoke to attendees about the need for more big data to understand early language development in children. His talk, “Early Language Learning at Scale: Bigger Data for Language Development” was well-received. The Coordinating Committee is comprised of behavioral and social scientists from all Institutes, Centers, and Offices of the
read moreExperts Meet to Discuss NICHD Strategic Plan: Public Webinar to be Held October 31
October 30, 2018
On October 15 and 16, national experts appointed by the Director of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), Dr. Diana Bianchi , met in Washington, DC to discuss the Institute’s recently launched strategic planning exercise. Over two days, the Strategic Planning Working Group, comprised of approximately 80 scientists and NICHD program staff, met to identify research themes and scientific domains. During the meeting, the
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