The Demographic and Behavioral Sciences Branch (DBSB) supports research that employs theories and methods from many different disciplines and areas of science. It also supports research to develop new or improved methodologies and theories for advancing research within the Branch’s mission. It encourages multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research.
The Branch has supported research conducted by anthropologists, demographers, economists, epidemiologists, geographers, historians, physicians, psychologists, sociologists, and other scientists, and by interdisciplinary teams involving multiple disciplines spanning the behavioral, social, and biomedical sciences.
The Branch has supported studies that employ:
- Existing data and new data collection;
- Observational and experimental designs;
- Quantitative methods;
- Qualitative methods, including but not limited to in-depth interviews, focus groups, videotaped interactions, and participant observations.
- Purposive samples and probability samples representative of specific populations;
- Cross-sectional, prospective, longitudinal, multi-level, and comparative designs;
- Data on individuals, couples, families and households, social networks, institutions, neighborhoods, communities, and nations; and
- Multi-method studies that combine data collected in different ways (e.g., questionnaires, in-depth interviews, neighborhood observation, satellite images, biomarkers).
The Branch supports research relevant to its mission among children and adults; men and women, U.S. and non-U.S. populations. Research on minority populations within the U.S. is encouraged.
The Branch also supports research to develop new or improved methodological and theoretical approaches that will advance research related to the mission of the Branch. Such research may be aimed at improving and developing methodology and measurement through innovations in research design, data collection techniques, measurement, and data analysis techniques. This includes methodology and measurement issues in diverse populations, issues in studying sensitive behaviors, issues related to confidential data and the protection of research subjects, issues related to the inclusion of language minorities in research, and issues in developing interdisciplinary, multi-method, and multilevel approaches.
Specific funding opportunity announcements related to methodology and measurement include:
Contact: Rebecca L Clark
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