Behavioural sciences

Behavioural sciences study human and animal behavior using methods from psychology, sociology, anthropology, economics, and related disciplines. They explain behavior at individual, social, and cultural levels.

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Psychology: The scientific study of mind and behavior. It examines behavior and mental processes at the individual level.
Observational study: A study that records variables without assigning participants to interventions. It captures behavior in settings where controlled intervention is impractical.
Nudge theory: An approach that alters choice environments to influence decisions without removing options. It applies behavioral evidence to the design of everyday choices.
Cognitive science: An interdisciplinary study of cognition involving psychology, neuroscience, linguistics, philosophy, and computation. It centers mental processes more explicitly than the broader study of behavior.
Evidence-based policy: Policy development that uses systematically gathered evidence to guide decisions. Behavioral studies supply evidence about how policies affect real choices.
Sociology: The study of social life, institutions, and relationships. It explains how groups and institutions shape behavior.
Randomized controlled trial: An experiment that randomly assigns participants to intervention and comparison groups. Random assignment helps test whether an intervention causes behavioral change.
Public health: The organized effort to protect and improve population health. Behavioral evidence helps shape prevention and health-promotion programs.
Neuroscience: The scientific study of the nervous system and its functions. It explains behavior through neural systems, a different level of analysis.
Behavioral public policy: The application of behavioral insights to the design and evaluation of public policy. It carries behavioral findings directly into government decision-making.