Plans accelerate for ?Decade of Behavior? project

The cross-disciplinary campaign seeks to raise public awareness of the behavioral and social sciences.

By Beth Azar
Monitor staff

Efforts to make New Year?s Eve 1999 the kickoff for the 'Decade of Behavior' are gathering steam under the guidance of a newly appointed National Advisory Committee, which will set the agenda for the initiative.

The idea for the Decade of Behavior was developed by APA?s Science Directorate and Board of Scientific Affairs and several key APA members. Modeled after the 1990s? 'Decade of the Brain,' the initiative aims to increase public awareness and understanding of the behavioral and social sciences? contributions to health, safety and education. In addition, the initiative will include a federal advocacy effort to increase funding and legislative support for the behavioral and social sciences.

The idea for the Decade has been endorsed by a large number of behavioral and social sciences organizations, as well as the Council of Graduate Departments of Psychology, four National Institutes of Health institute directors and other federal funding agencies and professional groups.

A well-mixed group

Although the initiative began within APA, it draws its strength from the inclusion of a broad spectrum of behavioral and social scientists on its advisory committee, says advisory committee member and psychologist Robert Bjork, PhD, of the University of California, Los Angeles. Twenty-eight professional organizations nominated 40 researchers to be considered for the committee.

A distinguished selection committee (see photo) culled the list to 12 people who represent varied academic departments and professional organizations as well as several private foundations. Members are:

? Robert Bjork, PhD, professor of psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles.

? John Bruer, PhD, co-chair, president of the James S. McDonnell Foundation in St. Louis.

? Roger Michael Downs, PhD, head of the department of geography at Pennsylvania State University.

? Troy Duster, PhD, professor of sociology and director of the Institute for the Study of Social Change, University of California at Berkeley.

? Lila Gleitman, PhD, professor of psychology and linguistics, University of Pennsylvania.

? Aletha C. Huston, PhD, co-chair, professor of child development, University of Texas?Austin.

? Jack O. Lanier, DPH, associate vice president for health sciences for public health and professor and chairman of the Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, Virginia Commonwealth University and the Medical College of Virginia.

? Stephen Bennett Manuck, PhD, professor of psychology, University of Pittsburgh.

? Linda G. Martin, PhD, vice president for research development, the RAND Corp., Santa Monica, Calif.

? Joe L. Martinez, Jr., PhD, professor of biology and director of the division of life sciences, University of Texas, San Antonio.

? Paula D. McClain, PhD, professor in the Woodrow Wilson Department of Government and Foreign Affairs, University of Virginia.

? Anne C. Petersen, PhD, senior vice president for programs, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Battlecreek, Mich.

The group will meet for the first time Jan. 15?17 to work out the details of how to organize and launch the Decade. Topics under consideration for that first meeting include developing a timeline; finding sources of support for Decade initiatives; stimulating publicity, including gaining the support of public figures who will back the initiative; and establishing working groups that will tackle individual projects related to organizing the Decade.

Setting goals

Some critics of the Decade of Behavior concept note that the Decade of the Brain went largely unnoticed. But supporters claim that this next Decade has an advantage because it intuitively connects with people?s life experiences, says advisory committee member Roger Michael Downs, PhD, head of the department of geography at Pennsylvania State University.

'Psychology, sociology, political science, geography all have a direct relevance to people?s lives,' he says.

In fact, the Decade of Behavior is incredibly timely, says Bjork. 'We are in an era where the behavioral and social sciences are likely to become more important in a practical way than a science like physics,' he says. 'The answer to violence in the schools doesn?t ultimately lie in better metal detectors or improving our schools.' Instead, he says, it lies in better understanding human behavior.

Also, the behavioral and social sciences have matured to a point where the research base is solid and sophisticated, says Bjork. 'People want concrete examples of what behavioral science can offer,' and researchers are now in a position to provide such examples, he says.

One main focus of the Decade will be increasing the public?s awareness of this relevance and the importance of the behavioral and social sciences to solving many of the nation?s problems including traffic safety, violence, poor educational achievement and many illnesses, says Richard McCarty, PhD, APA?s executive director for science.

In particular, there?s a need to attract more of the top students to the behavioral and social sciences, says Downs. 'I?d like to see more of the better students see the value in a career in the behavioral and social sciences,' he says.

Sponsors for the Decade of Behavior, to date*

? American Political Science Association

? American Psychological Association

? American Sociological Association

? Association for Behavior Analysis

? Consortium of Social Science Associations (13 member associations)

? Council of Graduate Departments of Psychology (represents more than 350 graduate departments)

? Federation of Behavioral, Psychological and Cognitive Sciences (represents 17 member societies)

? Human Factors and Ergonomics Society

? Linguistics Society of America

? Society for Research in Child Development

? U.S. National Committee of the International Union of Psychological Science

? Virginia Psychological Association

? Duane Alexander, director, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health (NIH)

? Norman Anderson, director, Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research, NIH

? Bennett Bertenthal, assistant director of the National Science Foundation, Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences Directorate

? Enoch Gordis, director, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH

? Steven Hyman, director, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH

? Alan Leshner, director, National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH

? Barbara Rimer, director, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, NIH

*Decade organizers, including APA staff, continue to seek support from other organizations and federal agencies.