Frequently Asked Questions

Welcome to our FAQ! Don't see your question on the list? Contact Us.

1. What is Behavioral Science?

Behavioral science is the study of how humans behave and make decisions in the real world. We can use insights gained from this study to optimize products, policies, and programs with the aim of creating meaningful change in the lives of people worldwide. While many behavioral solutions exist, the evidence for what actually works is too often buried in academic journals, inaccessible to those who are trying to solve real-world problems day-to-day. That's where the B-Hub comes in.

We encourage you to learn more about behavioral science by visiting our Resources page.

2. How does understanding human behavior create change?

As researchers study how humans behave and make decisions in the real world, they often find that people act in ways that seem at odds with their best interests, from forgetting to take a lifesaving medication to procrastinating on filling out a form that could save them money. Instead of trying to change people, behavioral scientists have focused on designing and testing solutions that tweak the systems people interact with, setting them up for success.

Taking this approach doesn’t necessitate starting over from scratch. Small, cost-effective changes that are behaviorally-informed have an outsized impact, and if implemented broadly, these insights and solutions can improve millions of lives. Until now, behavioral knowledge and insights have been scattered across different research journals and practitioner groups. The B-Hub seeks to unite these solutions by making insights broadly available in one place. By bridging the gap between research and the real world, we can pave a clearer path to expansive social impact.

For more information on the B-Hub mission, see our About page.

3. Who are the founding partners of the B-Hub?

Starting the Behavioral Evidence Hub was a collaborative effort between ideas42, Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA), and the Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics (CHIBE) at the University of Pennsylvania. However, the B-Hub relies on a wide, diverse community of evidence-generating contributors. For a list of all contributing partners, visit our About page.

4. Is the B-Hub an exhaustive list of all the behavioral designs that have ever been tested?

Absolutely not. The content on the B-Hub is constantly expanding to include new evidence-backed behavioral innovations. The projects featured on the site are from many different contexts in which behavioral science has been used to improve programs and policies.

If there's a study you think we should include on the B-Hub, submit it here.

 5. Can I trust these studies?

Short answer? Yes.

All of the studies on the B-Hub have been rigorously evaluated using randomized methods. Randomized controlled trials are the gold standard for evaluation design because they enable researchers to isolate the impact of the intervention from other factors. For more info on running a randomized evaluation, see our Resources page.

6. Will this innovation / design work in my context?

The answer is...you can't be completely sure. When considering implementing a program in a new context, it is important to think carefully about the problem it addressed and the circumstances in which the design worked. What were the main barriers to action? Why was the project successful in addressing these barriers? How might some of these details differ from your particular context?

While all the projects featured on the B-Hub have been rigorously tested, sometimes solutions that work in one situation may not work as well in another. We encourage you to carefully monitor, evaluate and iterate on designs when adapting them for your purposes to ensure they produce the intended results.

7. I want to implement something on your site. Now what?

Hooray! Our hope is that practitioners take the ideas on the B-Hub and implement them in new and exciting ways. To get started, be sure to read the Implementation Details section of your chosen project. If you have any questions, contact us or submit your contact info so we can connect you with a behavioral researcher. We want to help you implement your behavioral program, so don't be shy! We're friendly.

8. How do I become a partner on the B-Hub?

There are two ways you can be featured on the B-Hub as a contributing partner:

1. Submit a study: we review all submissions and will contact you with questions about how your program was evaluated.
2. Donate: The B-Hub is entirely the result of community support. To become a part of further site developments and growth, contact us.