The White House Social & Behavioral Sciences Team: Lessons learned from year one

Abstract

On September 15, 2015, President Obama signed Executive Order 13707 titled “Using Behavioral Science Insights to Better Serve the American People.” The order directs federal agencies to integrate behavioral insights into their policies and programs and formally establishes the Social and Behavioral Sciences Team (SBST). Originally launched in 2014, SBST translates insights from behavioral science research into improvements in federal policies and programs. In its first annual report, SBST detailed results from projects that drew on behavioral insights to promote retirement security, expand college access and affordability, connect workers and small businesses with economic opportunities, improve health outcomes, and increase program integrity and government efficiency. The results of SBST projects offer important lessons for bringing a behavioral perspective to federal policy. The executive order provides a framework for future policy applications.