Social and Behavioral Sciences Research Agenda for Advancing Intelligence Analysis

Abstract

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (the National Academies) conducted a decadal survey (anticipated report release date is 5 March 2019) to explore and identify promising research opportunities in the social and behavioral sciences (SBS) for applications to national security. The report also provides guidance for the development of a 10-year research agenda and identifies key opportunities for SBS research to strengthen intelligence analysis. Although often used as a research roadmap in the space sciences, the use of the decadal process to survey SBS research and to support research planning in the Intelligence Community (IC) is unprecedented. The decadal survey — the first conducted in this context -- highlights ways to promote interdisciplinary collaboration so that the insights and ideas of SBS researchers are fully integrated with the needs and objectives of the IC.