strategic research

Strategic research: What does it do?

When shaping the methods and allocation of research funding, it’s also worth stopping to reflect on the positive implications of the new arrangements. A new type of strategic research funding has been distributed since 2015. From the outset, the projects and programmes have described their activities and successes widely in public. The Strategic Research Council (SRC) and the officials of the Academy of Finland supporting it have also sought transparency and widely explained their actions and the underlying justifications. However, the first comprehensive responses have only been received in the past year, after the first programme evaluations of strategic research were completed. What are the results of the evaluations?

Expectations for the programme evaluation

What should the programme evaluation of strategic research focus on? Who would the evaluation information be useful for? How could the expectations imposed on the evaluation be met with the resources available? Such questions were asked when consideration of the implementation of the programme evaluation started in 2018. The first programme evaluation focused on four SRC programmes ending in autumn 2019. Compared to other SRC programmes, these programmes had an exceptional funding period of three years.

After the preparatory work in spring 2019, the SRC recorded in its funding principles that the programme evaluation should focus specifically on assessing the programmes’ societal impact. At the same time, it was suggested that the evaluation results should be relevant to both the scientific community and representatives of government bodies. The results should also benefit strategic research projects in the future and the work of the SRC. As a result, the main objective ended up being to understand the diversity and societal impact of strategic research activities: after all, SRC programmes were all about bringing together multidisciplinary research and stakeholders in a completely new way, and there were no straightforward indicators in place for its evaluation. And so, it was necessary to first learn to understand what is valuable in strategic research activities and why. Only then would an evaluation follow.

The evaluation question concerning all research programmes ended up addressing how the research and interaction work done in projects and programmes affected other parties. Did the actors playing a significant role in resolving societal challenges obtain a new scientific basis for their activities, or change their operations to overcome the challenges at hand? Researchers and projects were understood as enablers of impact, since the introduction of societal changes depends extensively on different societal actors. However, researchers and research projects were regarded as responsible for making societal impact possible: projects were expected to provide new research data to support social decision-making and to disseminate information in ways that support the utilisation of information as well as possible. In line with the objectives of strategic research, high-quality research that is innovative in its multidisciplinary approach was seen as an essential means of supporting the use of information.

Since this was a new funding instrument, which meant that only the actors in the research programmes had first-hand knowledge of their activities, it made sense to invite the projects and their managers to participate in the evaluation. The self-assessment was followed by an evaluation of what societal impact the programmes had achieved or enabled. This was completed by Gaia Consulting, a consultancy company familiar with Finnish society and the scientific community. Finally, the scientific activities and results were assessed in evaluation panels consisting of international experts.

Increased understanding and advanced operating models

The evaluations indicate that the strategic research programmes have, through their versatile activities, established strong foundations for the creation of societal impact. The effects of research and interaction work include an increased understanding and societal debate on the key phenomena around which the research programmes were built. In addition to increasing understanding, the projects succeeded in producing concrete practical operating models and solutions to meet the challenges identified in the programmes. A key method was co-creation with information users and other stakeholders. The evaluation also recognised projects’ efforts to disseminate research-based information to wider target groups through policy briefs and clear and comprehensible publications, to mention just a few examples.

It’s obvious, however, that verifying the societal impact of large-scale research programmes is challenging, and concrete examples may only be detectable far in the future. And so, in terms of the programmes’ impact, it may be more straightforward to talk about the stakeholder networks created and the development of their activities rather than actual societal changes. The programme evaluation also contributed to a better understanding of how challenging it is to appraise the success of multidisciplinary research projects and their stakeholder work.

Impressive multidisciplinary research activities

The projects in the research programmes were required to be multidisciplinary. According to the programme evaluation, this was reflected not only in the composition of the projects, but also in the objectives, methods and results of research and interaction work. Through multidisciplinary cooperation, it was considered that the programmes had led to, amongst other things, new understanding and concepts between disciplines, and new methodological openings that bring together different disciplines. According to the evaluation, the research programmes also had a wide range of research and interaction methods and objectives. The societal phenomena behind the programmes and the starting points for each research field played a role in the choices made. In terms of these methods and objectives, there were considerable differences between the research programmes.

The importance of multidisciplinary cooperation is best demonstrated in its institutional impact. Through strategic research funding, researchers have been able to create new multidisciplinary researcher networks and interaction. According to the findings of the programme evaluation, this creation of cooperation and interaction required a wide range of resources, and different alternative costs had to be taken into account in the planning of activities.  As a rule, strategic research programmes continue for six years. On the other hand, it was stated in the self-evaluations that even three-year funding gave programme actors more opportunities to focus specifically on multidisciplinary planning of research and interaction activities.

Programmes as implementers of responsible research

The principles of responsible research were reflected in the activities of the programmes and projects in the openness of scientific publications and in enabling further use of data. Enabling access to data for further processing was highlighted in the evaluation as an important area for development, as it was considered to be one of the most concrete ways to promote the continuity of research after the programme period. The programme evaluation also recognised examples of how taking the principles of responsible science into account lays the foundation for the achievement of societal impact objectives. Through the methods of multidisciplinary co-creation, it was possible to integrate groups in a weak societal position into the research processes. This helped include the views of vulnerable groups as part of the research content.

How can the evaluation process be developed and how can evaluations develop strategic research?

For the most part, the programme evaluation was considered successful. A diverse consultation with interested parties and evaluators created a balanced and extensive picture of the topic under review. At all stages of the evaluation process, it could be observed that the scientific community and societal actors were very interested in the evaluation and the lessons learned from it.

Of course, challenges were also encountered when organising the evaluation. One of them was the scope of the evaluation material. It posed challenges to both the organisation of the evaluation process and the completion of the assessment task itself. Project monitoring during the activities produced a large amount of indicator data and free-form reflective material, the management of which was challenging for anyone. However, the experts who carried out the evaluation often wondered whether relevant information and material would still have been available somewhere to describe some aspect of the programme activities in a broader or more in-depth manner.

The diverse objectives of the evaluation work made it difficult to see the big picture. This was not made any easier by the fact that the programmes under review differed from each other significantly in terms of both their content and the number of projects. The most important general observation was that, from the perspective of the evaluation work, the programmes would have needed clearer objectives. At the same time, however, it became obvious that setting concrete impact objectives may not necessarily be sensible or possible in the constantly changing society, in which changes in political power relations may drastically change the handling of many different societal challenges.

The programme evaluation was carried out in a period of just over a year after the research programmes’ funding period had ended. The timing gave the programme actors an opportunity to reflect on the completed research and interaction activities immediately after the funding period had ended. On the other hand, the timing created challenges for evaluating the results and, in particular, the effects and impact. The objectives of research and interaction activities are far-reaching. Accordingly, it is clear that neither scientific nor societal impact could be verified in an unambiguous and definitive manner on the basis of this evaluation. In the future, these framework conditions will also play a significant role in the organisation of programme evaluations and setting of evaluation objectives.

The question arises whether it is worth carrying out the programme evaluations systematically at the end of each research programme? The evaluation method now implemented can be used to create a reliable understanding of the success of the programme at a specific point in time. On the other hand, a regular and real-time review of the activities of finished and ongoing programmes could provide a more comprehensive understanding of the impact of strategic research, and even strengthen the ability to support the programmes better in the future.

The programme evaluation and its results have attracted wide interest. The Strategic Research Council and the Academy Division supporting it aim to continue the valuable exchange of information and learning on the evaluation of multidisciplinary and societally high-impact research.

More information:

• See the programme evaluation reports
• Read more about the programme evaluation

Kyösti Husso is Science Adviser and Jyrki Hakapää is Senior Science Adviser of the Division of Strategic Research

Do you have questions or feedback for us?

• Browse All Articles
• Newsletter Sign-Up

• 22 Mar 2024
• Research & Ideas

Open Source Software: The $9 Trillion Resource Companies Take for Granted

Many companies build their businesses on open source software, code that would cost firms $8.8 trillion to create from scratch if it weren't freely available. Research by Frank Nagle and colleagues puts a value on an economic necessity that will require investment to meet demand.

• 29 Feb 2024

Beyond Goals: David Beckham's Playbook for Mobilizing Star Talent

Reach soccer's pinnacle. Become a global brand. Buy a team. Sign Lionel Messi. David Beckham makes success look as easy as his epic free kicks. But leveraging world-class talent takes discipline and deft decision-making, as case studies by Anita Elberse reveal. What could other businesses learn from his ascent?

• 09 Jan 2024
• In Practice

Harnessing AI: What Businesses Need to Know in ChatGPT’s Second Year

Companies across industries rushed to adopt ChatGPT last year, seeing its potential to streamline tasks formerly handled by people and vendors at much higher cost. As generative AI enters its next phase in 2024, what can leaders expect? Harvard Business School faculty members highlight four trends to watch.

• 12 Dec 2023
• Cold Call Podcast

Can Sustainability Drive Innovation at Ferrari?

When Ferrari, the Italian luxury sports car manufacturer, committed to achieving carbon neutrality and to electrifying a large part of its car fleet, investors and employees applauded the new strategy. But among the company’s suppliers, the reaction was mixed. Many were nervous about how this shift would affect their bottom lines. Professor Raffaella Sadun and Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna discuss how Ferrari collaborated with suppliers to work toward achieving the company’s goal. They also explore how sustainability can be a catalyst for innovation in the case, “Ferrari: Shifting to Carbon Neutrality.” This episode was recorded live December 4, 2023 in front of a remote studio audience in the Live Online Classroom at Harvard Business School.

• 24 Oct 2023

How the United States Air Force Accelerated AI Adoption

In August 2022, the Pentagon tasked U.S. Air Force Captain Victor Lopez with launching a new Air Force innovation unit that leveraged commercial developers and military talent to acquire advanced technologies. Having been granted flexibility in the setup of the office, Lopez pondered the complexities of his assignment and the decisions around organizational design he would have to make. It’s often believed that only small start-up organizations can innovate, but a lot of innovation happens in big organizations, including government. Harvard Business School assistant professor Maria Roche is joined by Major Lopez to discuss the challenges of digital transformation in a large bureaucratic organization and the specific choices the U.S. Air Force needed to make when launching its AI Accelerator in her case, "Accelerating AI Adoption in the United States Air Force."

• 26 Sep 2023

The PGA Tour and LIV Golf Merger: Competition vs. Cooperation

On June 9, 2022, the first LIV Golf event teed off outside of London. The new tour offered players larger prizes, more flexibility, and ambitions to attract new fans to the sport. Immediately following the official start of that tournament, the PGA Tour announced that all 17 PGA Tour players participating in the LIV Golf event were suspended and ineligible to compete in PGA Tour events. Tensions between the two golf entities continued to rise, as more players “defected” to LIV. Eventually LIV Golf filed an antitrust lawsuit accusing the PGA Tour of anticompetitive practices, and the Department of Justice launched an investigation. Then, in a dramatic turn of events, LIV Golf and the PGA Tour announced that they were merging. Harvard Business School assistant professor Alexander MacKay discusses the competitive, antitrust, and regulatory issues at stake and whether or not the PGA Tour took the right actions in response to LIV Golf’s entry in his case, “LIV Golf.”

Digital Strategy: A Handbook for Managing a Moving Target

Digital strategy demands significant organizational energy at many companies. By the time teams have adapted to newly implemented technology, another platform has emerged to replace it. A book coedited by Feng Zhu offers a guide for executives trying to manage the chaos.

• 19 Sep 2023

How Will the Tech Titans Behind ChatGPT, Bard, and LLaMA Make Money?

It seems like anything is possible with generative AI right now. But how will companies profit from those big ideas? Andy Wu breaks down the potentially painful tradeoffs that tech firms might face as artificial intelligence enters its next phase.

• 29 Aug 2023

As Social Networks Get More Competitive, Which Ones Will Survive?

In early 2023, TikTok reached close to 1 billion users globally, placing it fourth behind the leading social networks: Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Meanwhile, competition in the market for videos had intensified. Can all four networks continue to attract audiences and creators? Felix Oberholzer-Gee discusses competition and imitation among social networks in his case “Hey, Insta & YouTube, Are You Watching TikTok?”

• 01 Aug 2023

Can Business Transform Primary Health Care Across Africa?

mPharma, headquartered in Ghana, is trying to create the largest pan-African health care company. Their mission is to provide primary care and a reliable and fairly priced supply of drugs in the nine African countries where they operate. Co-founder and CEO Gregory Rockson needs to decide which component of strategy to prioritize in the next three years. His options include launching a telemedicine program, expanding his pharmacies across the continent, and creating a new payment program to cover the cost of common medications. Rockson cares deeply about health equity, but his venture capital-financed company also must be profitable. Which option should he focus on expanding? Harvard Business School Professor Regina Herzlinger and case protagonist Gregory Rockson discuss the important role business plays in improving health care in the case, “mPharma: Scaling Access to Affordable Primary Care in Africa.”

• 05 Jul 2023

What Kind of Leader Are You? How Three Action Orientations Can Help You Meet the Moment

Executives who confront new challenges with old formulas often fail. The best leaders tailor their approach, recalibrating their "action orientation" to address the problem at hand, says Ryan Raffaelli. He details three action orientations and how leaders can harness them.

• 07 Jun 2023

3 Ways to Gain a Competitive Advantage Now: Lessons from Amazon, Chipotle, and Facebook

Remember the Sony Librie? Some people considered it superior to Amazon's Kindle, but it didn't end up the market leader. Rebecca Karp breaks down three methods that companies use to create more value than their rivals—an edge that can make all the difference.

• 28 Feb 2023

Muhammad Ali: A Case Study in Purpose-Driven Decision Making

Muhammad Ali, born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., rose from a poor family in segregated Louisville, Kentucky to international fame, winning three heavyweight boxing titles and becoming a civil rights leader and role model for millions of people around the world. How did he do it? Early in his career, Ali’s creativity and hard work helped him overcome significant obstacles. Rather than letting his fear of flying keep him from competing in the 1960 Olympics, he traveled to Italy wearing a parachute -- and easily won the gold medal in boxing. When he returned to the U.S. as a gold medalist, Ali used his growing fame to bring attention to racism and humanitarian causes he supported, including his then-controversial decision to refuse to fight in the Vietnam War. Professor Robert Simons discusses how Ali made decisions throughout his life and career to leave a lasting impact on the world in his case, “Muhammad Ali: Changing the World.”

• 19 Jan 2023

What Makes Employees Trust (vs. Second-Guess) AI?

While executives are quick to adopt artificial intelligence, front-line employees might be less willing to take orders from an algorithm. Research by the Laboratory for Innovation Science at Harvard sheds light on what it takes for people to get comfortable with machine learning.

• 04 Oct 2022

Cold Call: Corporate Governance and Growth Strategy at Capital SAFI

Jorge Quintanilla Nielsen started the independent asset management firm Capital SAFI in 2007. Now a leader in Bolivia’s closed-end funds industry with a total of $430 million in assets under management, Quintanilla planned to expand into other countries, like Peru and Colombia. He knew that governance would be one of the main aspects potential partners would evaluate. Capital SAFI’s board had evolved over time with the establishment of a governance committee, an assessment process for the board, professional development offerings for board members, tools to manage governance risk, and succession plans for board members and company executives. Would local and foreign investors be impressed by those measures or were additional improvements needed? Professor V. G. Narayanan discusses the importance of corporate governance in his case, “Building the Governance to Take Capital SAFI to the Next Level.”

• 07 Jul 2022

How a Multimillion-Dollar Ice Cream Startup Melted Down (and Bounced Back)

A Brooklyn-based ice cream shop was getting buzz, and Disney was pitching a brand partnership. So how did the business wind up filing for bankruptcy? A case study by Thomas Eisenmann and Lindsay N. Hyde examines the rise and fall—and recent rebound—of Ample Hills Creamery.

• 30 Jun 2022

Peloton Changed the Exercise Game. Can the Company Push Through the Pain?

When COVID-19 closed gyms, seemingly everyone rushed to order a Peloton bike and claim a spot on the company's signature leader board. And then things quickly went downhill. A case study by Robert Dolan looks at the tough road the exercise equipment maker faces.

• 21 Jun 2022

Free Isn’t Always Better: How Slack Holds Its Own Against Microsoft Teams

What will it take to win the collaboration app wars: massive scale or a loyal following? A case study by David Yoffie digs into the intense competition between Microsoft Teams and Salesforce's Slack.

• 28 Apr 2022

Can You Buy Creativity in the Gig Economy?

It's possible, but creators need more of a stake. A study by Feng Zhu of 10,000 novels in the Chinese e-book market reveals how tying pay to performance can lead to new ideas.

• 18 Apr 2022

Dick’s Sporting Goods Followed Its Conscience on Guns—and It Paid Off

After the 2018 school shooting in Parkland, Florida, Dick's Sporting Goods' CEO declared: "I don't want to be part of the story anymore." Two new case studies by George Riedel go inside the retailer's decision to remove certain firearms from stores and restrict gun sales. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Programs submenu

Regions submenu, topics submenu, poni 2024 capstone conference, dod's gaza pier and the maritime corridor—gaza: the human toll, lessons from myanmar.

• Abshire-Inamori Leadership Academy
• Aerospace Security Project
• Africa Program
• Americas Program
• Arleigh A. Burke Chair in Strategy
• Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative
• Asia Program
• Australia Chair
• Brzezinski Chair in Global Security and Geostrategy
• Brzezinski Institute on Geostrategy
• Chair in U.S.-India Policy Studies
• China Power Project
• Chinese Business and Economics
• Defending Democratic Institutions
• Defense-Industrial Initiatives Group
• Defense 360
• Defense Budget Analysis
• Diversity and Leadership in International Affairs Project
• Economics Program
• Emeritus Chair in Strategy
• Energy Security and Climate Change Program
• Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program
• Freeman Chair in China Studies
• Futures Lab
• Geoeconomic Council of Advisers
• Global Food and Water Security Program
• Global Health Policy Center
• Hess Center for New Frontiers
• Human Rights Initiative
• Humanitarian Agenda
• Intelligence, National Security, and Technology Program
• International Security Program
• Japan Chair
• Kissinger Chair
• Korea Chair
• Langone Chair in American Leadership
• Middle East Program
• Missile Defense Project
• Project on Critical Minerals Security
• Project on Fragility and Mobility
• Project on Nuclear Issues
• Project on Prosperity and Development
• Project on Trade and Technology
• Renewing American Innovation Project
• Scholl Chair in International Business
• Smart Women, Smart Power
• Southeast Asia Program
• Stephenson Ocean Security Project
• Strategic Technologies Program
• Transnational Threats Project
• Wadhwani Center for AI and Advanced Technologies
• All Regions
• Australia, New Zealand & Pacific
• Middle East
• Russia and Eurasia
• American Innovation
• Civic Education
• Climate Change
• Cybersecurity
• Defense Budget and Acquisition
• Defense and Security
• Energy and Sustainability
• Food Security
• Gender and International Security
• Geopolitics
• Global Health
• Human Rights
• Humanitarian Assistance
• Intelligence
• International Development
• Maritime Issues and Oceans
• Missile Defense
• Nuclear Issues
• Transnational Threats
• Water Security
• Leadership & Staff
• Financial Information
• Membership Groups
• Congressional Affairs
• Careers & Culture

The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) is a bipartisan, nonprofit policy research organization dedicated to advancing practical ideas to address the world’s greatest challenges.

Thomas J. Pritzker was named chairman of the CSIS Board of Trustees in 2015, succeeding former U.S. senator Sam Nunn (D-GA). Founded in 1962, CSIS is led by John J. Hamre, who has served as president and chief executive officer since 2000.

CSIS’s purpose is to define the future of national security. We are guided by a distinct set of values—non-partisanship, independent thought, innovative thinking, cross-disciplinary scholarship, integrity and professionalism, and talent development. CSIS’s values work in concert toward the goal of making real-world impact.

CSIS scholars bring their policy expertise, judgment, and robust networks to their research, analysis, and recommendations. We organize conferences, publish, lecture, and make media appearances that aim to increase the knowledge, awareness, and salience of policy issues with relevant stakeholders and the interested public.

CSIS has impact when our research helps to inform the decisionmaking of key policymakers and the thinking of key influencers. We work toward a vision of a safer and more prosperous world.

At the height of the Cold War in 1962, Admiral Arleigh Burke and David Abshire founded the Center for Strategic and International Studies at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. The institution was dedicated to the simple but urgent goal of finding ways for the United States to survive as a nation and prosper as a people.

Since its founding, CSIS has been at the forefront of solutions to the vexing foreign policy and national security problems of the day. In 1966, CSIS research triggered House hearings on the watershed Sino-Soviet split. In 1978, CSIS convened the first public hearing on Capitol Hill on the Cambodian genocide, sparking major changes in congressional and executive branch perceptions of the tragedy.

In 1985, a CSIS panel led to the Goldwater-Nichols legislation to reform the Defense Department and Joint Chiefs of Staff. In 1998, it was a report from a CSIS retirement commission that became the bipartisan benchmark of the Social Security reform debate. In 2007, the CSIS Smart Power Commission provided a diagnosis of America’s declining standing in the world and offered a set of recommendations for a smart power approach to America’s global engagement. These are but a few of the highlights.

Today, CSIS is one of the world’s preeminent public policy institutions on foreign policy and national security issues. The Center’s over 250 full-time staff and large network of affiliated scholars conduct research and analysis and develop policy initiatives that look to the future and anticipate change. CSIS is regularly called upon by Congress, the executive branch, the media, and others to explain the day’s events and offer recommendations to improve U.S. strategy.

An independent not-for-profit organization since 1987, CSIS marked its first half-century of existence by moving into a new state-of-the-art headquarters in downtown Washington, DC, in 2013. With its traditional defense and security programs, initiatives focused on global challenges such as health and energy, and research projects dedicated to every corner of the globe, CSIS is well positioned for another 50 years of providing strategic insights and policy solutions to the world’s decisionmakers.

In 1985, a CSIS panel led to the Goldwater-Nichols legislation to reform the Defense Department and Joint Chiefs of Staff. In 1998, it was a report from a CSIS retirement commission that became the bipartisan benchmark of the Social Security reform debate.

In 2007, the CSIS Smart Power Commission provided a diagnosis of America’s declining standing in the world and offered a set of recommendations for a smart power approach to America’s global engagement. In 2008, CSIS convened a commission of government and industry leaders to examine issues relating to cybersecurity. The ensuing report,  Securing Cyberspace for the 44th Presidency , served as a roadmap for Obama administration policy and congressional legislative reform.

In 2018, the CSIS Commission on Strengthening America’s Health Security began work on a vision of global health security that can more predictably and reliably advance U.S. foreign policy goals and secure U.S. national interests. The commission’s work, built on bipartisan consensus, was critical in advance of and through the U.S. government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

In 2020, the CSIS Transnational Threats Project constructed a data set of domestic terrorist plots and attacks, which shifted the debate within the executive branch, Congress, and the U.S. public about the homeland threat from extremists. In 2022, CSIS researchers were at the forefront of forecasting a Russian invasion of Ukraine, the largest land war in Europe since World War II, using satellite imagery analysis of the Russian build-up and maps of possible Russian invasion routes. These are but a few of the highlights. 

How to Conduct a Strategic Research Project

• Small Business
• Business Technology & Customer Support
• Customer Service Strategies
• ')" data-event="social share" data-info="Pinterest" aria-label="Share on Pinterest">
• ')" data-event="social share" data-info="Reddit" aria-label="Share on Reddit">
• ')" data-event="social share" data-info="Flipboard" aria-label="Share on Flipboard">

How to Increase Company Growth

What should an objective statement of a company describe, difference between qualitative & quantitative analysis for managerial decision making.

• How to Analyze the Effects of Channel Management
• Product Diversification Strategy

The best way to reach the goals you set for your business is to implement corresponding strategies. While you can easily set ambitious objectives, working out the details of how to achieve them requires research into your business environment. A strategic research project aimed at exploring possible strategies and their chances for success is an effective approach. It can match your strengths and capabilities to the opportunities presented by your market to show you how best to proceed.

Find Reliable Sources of Information

Three factors that affect the success of possible strategies are the attitudes of your customers, the actions of your competitors and any regulatory or legal restrictions you may encounter. You can find out what customers think about your company, your products and your competitors by carrying out customer surveys and by asking your sales and service staff what customer feedback they have received. You can obtain information about other companies through their websites and their annual reports. Government publications and websites tell you whether there are regulations and legal constraints that apply to your area of activity. You can focus your strategic research on the direction you want to take, or you can gather general information to guide you in finding an effective strategy.

Quantitative and Qualitative Data

The information you obtain is both qualitative and quantitative, and you have to separate the two kinds of data to analyze them independently. For example, interviews with customers yield qualitative data based on what your customers are saying. You might find out that your customers think highly of your company, like one of your products, think another one is of poor quality and like the service of a competitor. You can use quantitative data to check whether your information is correct. For example, if the poor-quality product has high rates of return and high warranty claims, that's quantitative data that backs up the information from your interviews.

Explore Company Relationships

Implementing a new strategy sometimes involves other organizations with which you have relationships. You should talk with your bank, because your strategy might need additional financing. If your new strategy could lead to rapid expansion of a particular product line, explore whether your major suppliers can handle the extra business. Look at forming new partnerships with successful businesses in areas that complement your own. Evaluating existing business relationships and researching new opportunities may influence your strategic direction.

Use Goals to Guide Strategy

You can complete your project by evaluating how the research you have done supports company goals. Your research shows you what your company does well, where your business can improve and where in your business environment you should focus your strategic efforts. For example, if your customers don't like one of your products, a strategy to promote it makes no sense. Instead, you can implement a strategy to improve the product, replace it, or promote another, more popular product. Which of these strategies you choose depends on your company's goals. If you want to increase sales, you have to improve the product or promote another one. If your goal is to be known for high-quality products, you should drop the product or replace it.

• Corporate Research Project: How to Do Corporate Research
• Blackwell's: Business Research Strategies
• Texas A&M Transportation Institute: Innovative Finance - Strategic Research Project

Bert Markgraf is a freelance writer with a strong science and engineering background. He started writing technical papers while working as an engineer in the 1980s. More recently, after starting his own business in IT, he helped organize an online community for which he wrote and edited articles as managing editor, business and economics. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from McGill University.

Related Articles

Swot analysis: how competitive forces shape strategy, why is culture important in understanding strategic management, forecasting in strategic management, how to make a business roadmap, how to do a swot analysis, new year business marketing plan & annual strategy goal update, examples of a strategic management performance plan, corporate strategy tools, purpose of marketing research, most popular.

• 1 SWOT Analysis: How Competitive Forces Shape Strategy
• 2 Why Is Culture Important in Understanding Strategic Management?
• 3 Forecasting in Strategic Management
• 4 How to Make a Business Roadmap

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

JavaScript appears to be disabled on this computer. Please click here to see any active alerts .

• Strategic Research Action Plans Fiscal Years 2023-2026

Research in EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD) provides solutions needed to meet today’s complex environmental and human health challenges. Research is organized around six highly integrated and transdisciplinary national research programs that are closely aligned with the Agency's strategic goals and cross-Agency strategies. Each program is guided by a Strategic Research Action Plan (StRAP) developed by EPA with input from its many internal and external partners and stakeholders:

• Air, Climate, and Energy StRAP
• Chemical Safety for Sustainability StRAP
• Health and Environmental Risk Assessment StRAP
• Homeland Security StRAP
• Safe and Sustainable Water Resources StRAP
• Sustainable and Healthy Communities StRAP

In addition to outlining a research framework, the StRAPs also describe the overall structure and purpose of the Program. The strategic directions and research areas identified in each StRAP serve as planning guides for ORD’s research centers to design specific research products that address the needs of both internal and external Agency partners and stakeholders. Partner engagement is an essential part of the StRAP development process to identify research needs to be addressed.

Additional information on ORD's research planning process: ORD's Strategic Research Planning

EPA's previous StRAPs can be found here: Strategic Research Action Plans FYs 2012-2022

Air, Climate, and Energy

ACE StRAP for FYs 2023-2026 (pdf) (2.1 MB, 10/5/22, EPA/600/R-22/234)

EPA’s Air, Climate, and Energy (ACE) National Research Program (NRP) recognizes that addressing the increasing risks posed by climate change and reducing the disproportionate burdens faced by low-income and minority communities requires effective air quality risk management with consideration of criteria and other toxic air pollutants, indoor air quality, wildfires, and the transformation of the Nation’s energy and transportation systems. It lays the foundation for research that promotes the strategic objectives of the Agency to improve air quality, address the causes and consequences of climate change, and protect public health and the environment. Research activities in ACE are organized broadly around two topics: 1) understanding air pollution and climate change and their impacts on human health and ecosystems, and 2) responding to risks and impacts and preparing for the future.

Chemical Safety for Sustainability

CSS StRAP for FYs 2023-2026 (pdf) (1.6 MB, 10/5/22, EPA/600/R-22/238)

EPA's Chemical Safety for Sustainability (CSS) National Research Program is focused on addressing the pressing environmental and health challenge of a lack of sufficient information on chemicals needed to make informed, risk-based decisions. Improving the safe production, use, and disposal of chemicals is a major priority in support of actions to protect human health and the environment. Research activities in CSS are organized broadly around three topics: 1) chemical evaluation, 2) complex systems science, and 3) knowledge delivery and solutions-driven translation to support chemical safety decisions.

Health and Environmental Risk Assessment

HERA StRAP for FYs 2023-2026 (pdf) (2 MB, 10/5/22, EPA/600/R-22/237)

EPA’s Health and Environmental Risk Assessment (HERA) National Research Program is designed to develop and apply state-of-the-science research to characterize the impacts on human and ecological systems, whether they result from exposure to single, complex, or multiple physical, chemical, or biological stressors. In doing so, HERA provides key components of the scientific foundation for risk assessments to inform decisions aimed at protecting human health and the environment. Research activities in HERA are organized broadly around two topics: 1) science assessments and translation and 2) advancing the science and practice of risk assessment.

Homeland Security

HS StRAP for FYs 2023-2026 (pdf) (1.6 MB, 10/5/22, EPA/600/R-22/240)

EPA’s Homeland Security (HS) National Research Program addresses science gaps related to oil spill response, protecting water systems, and cleanup of wide areas contaminated with high-priority Homeland Security Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear agents. This includes contamination incidents due to natural disasters, pathogens that cause communicable diseases, covert release of chemicals, and agricultural incidents with animal and crop diseases. Research activities in HS are organized broadly around three topics: 1) contaminant characterization and risk assessment, 2) environmental cleanup and infrastructure remediation, and 3) community engagement and systems-based tools supporting resilience equity.

Safe and Sustainable Water Resources

SSWR StRAP for FYs 2023-2026 (pdf) (2.4 MB, 10/5/22, EPA/600/R-22/242)

EPA’s Safe and Sustainable Water Resources (SSWR) National Research Program provides robust research and scientific analyses to innovatively and economically support safe and adequate supplies of water—protecting people’s health and livelihood while restoring and maintaining watersheds and aquatic ecosystems. Targeted research will yield the innovative tools and information needed to protect and restore watersheds, aquatic ecosystems, and water infrastructure to provide clean, adequate, and equitable supplies of water for optimum human health and ecosystem functions. Research activities in SSWR are organized broadly into three interrelated topics: 1) watersheds, 2) nutrients and harmful algal blooms, and 3) water treatment and infrastructure.

Sustainable and Healthy Communities

SHC StRAP for FYs 2023-2026 (pdf) (2.7 MB, 10/5/22, EPA/600/R-22/241)

EPA’s Sustainable and Healthy Communities (SHC) National Research Program takes a systems approach to integrate the full range of available data from public health, physical, natural, and social sciences, toxicology, engineering, and ecosystems research to support Agency priorities and empower communities to make scientifically informed decision. Research is done with and for communities to improve their access to clean air, water, and land for increased health and well-being where people live, learn, work, and play. Research activities in SHC are organized broadly into three interrelated topics: 1) advancing remediation and restoration of contaminated sites, 2) materials management and beneficial reuse of waste, and 3) integrated systems approaches to building healthy and resilient communities.

• EPA Research Home
• Research Topics
• Publications
• Funding & Career Opportunities
• Stay Connected
• EPA Research Events
• About Our Research
• Science Models and Research Tools (SMaRT) Search

Office of Research & Innovation

• Research Home
• Research Metrics

Research Insights & Strategic Intelligence

Sponsored Project Research Dashboard

PowerBI Dashboard displaying visualizations and trends for proposal and award data related to sponsored projects.

Sponsored Project Research Reports

Cognos reports displaying summarized proposal and award data related to sponsored projects.

Request a Custom Report

Not finding the information you are seeking?  Request a custom report through this form.

Academic Analytics

Benchmarking data for administrators, including deans, associate deans, and department chairs. Please note: This data is currently only available to select users. 

Additional Dashboards & Metrics

This data is provided by the Data Management Division of Financial & Business Services.

Faculty Metrics Dashboard

Institutional Research Dashboard

Frequently Asked Questions

How do i access these reports and dashboards.

Users who have been provided access to reports and dashboards will sign in with their eRaider username and password.

Can someone help provide guidance or an overview of the data within these reports and dashboards?

Our teams will be offering individual and group overviews and trainings, to help understand which metrics and data are available and where those metrics are located.

Can I share this information with others?

All research data contained within the Office of Research and Innovation (OR&I) dashboards and reports are intended for internal use only. No data reported on dashboards or reports should necessarily be considered final, nor is it recommended to be reported on externally.  Data is considered final and verified after the second closing fiscal period occurring approximately two weeks after the official end of a fiscal year. It is recommended that official data that is to be shared externally, should be validated and communicated with administration within the OR&I division.

How can I use this data to make decisions about a college, department, or individual?

It is encouraged that internal use of the data (for use in making decisions, evaluating faculty, or to inform departments and colleges on trends) should be carefully reviewed and interpreted on a holistic approach, as individual metrics could possibly represent one part of the productivity and output of that entity.

How will data and metrics related to research endeavors be presented?

OR&I incorporates the use of the PowerBI platform, Cognos reporting, and Academic Analytics software. Additionally, custom reports can be requested and received via email or other preferred formats.

Will there be a glossary of data definitions, to help me navigate these reports and dashboards?

A data glossary of dashboards and the information residing within the dashboards will be available on the landing page.

When can I expect additional dashboards and reports?

While many of these dashboards are functional, others are under development and testing, with release dates planned in the near future.

Dashboards in Development

The Office of Research & Innovation is developing several more targeted metrics dashboards, including:

Lab Space Metrics Dashboard to display visualizations and trends for lab space utilization and productivity.

TUF ROI Dashboard to displays visualizations and Return on Investment metrics on sponsored projects, funding and spending directly related to the Texas University Fund (TUF).

Strategic Initiatives Dashboard to display Strategic Initiatives and progress of Texas Tech's major strategic endeavors.

• Like Office of Research & Innovation on Facebook Like Office of Research & Innovation on Facebook
• Follow Office of Research & Innovation on X (twitter) Follow Office of Research & Innovation on X (twitter)
• Subscribe to Office of Research & Innovation on YouTube Subscribe to Office of Research & Innovation on YouTube

Vanderbilt University Native Meadow flourishing with collaborative research projects

Media Inquiries

• 615-322-6397 Email

Latest Stories

• Will the movement to legalize psychedelics succeed?
• Key takeaways from the 2024 Summit on Modern Conflict and Emerging Threats
• Computing Catalyst Working Group to shape expanded computing resources and capabilities to advance university-wide research

Apr 29, 2024, 9:54 AM

Funded by the Vanderbilt Green Fund in 2021, students proposed filling a meadow with plants native to the Tennessee/Nashville area to increase pollination and biodiversity and support soil health on campus. Many of the research projects within the meadow are supported by Vanderbilt faculty. The university’s Curb Center for Art, Enterprise, and Public Policy funded the signage, and the Green Fund supported the planting of the meadow and the monitoring equipment.  

Follow @futurevusustainability and @vutrees on Instagram to learn more about this program.   

Soil Health Research  

Researchers, including faculty, undergraduates, middle and high school students, are monitoring the meadow to learn more about soil microbial activity, moisture levels and impact of the urban island effect on the area. A School of Science and Math at Vanderbilt class is taking core samples to learn more about soil health and its moisture under the direction of Chris Vanags , the d irector of the Peabody Research Office and a research assistant professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, as well as SSMV program instructors.  

Explore the data.>>  

Allison Walker , assistant professor of biological sciences and chemistry, is collaborating with Vanderbilt students to conduct a genetic analysis of the soil. The research in the Native Meadow contributes to Walker’s research, which is focused on:  

• Developing algorithms that predict natural product activity from the biosynthetic gene clusters that produce them  
• Using machine learning to investigate regulation of natural product production  
• Developing tools to guide the engineering of biosynthetic gene clusters to produce novel natural product-like molecules  
• Developing machine learning tools to design natural product-like inhibitors of protein-protein interactions

Soil Your Undies  

The “ Soil-Your-Undies Challenge ” is an ongoing research project that plants white, 100 percent cotton undies in the ground. After 60 days of being buried, researchers can collect soil health information based on the decomposition of the material. This project isn’t limited to the native meadow and other locations on VU’s campus—anyone can participate to learn more about the soil health in their home yard.     

Spearheaded on campus by Vanags, and in collaboration with the ASCEND Initiative at Vanderbilt University and the Tennessee Environmental Council , the challenge was originated by Oregon farmers to develop more understanding about soil microbes, land management practices and carbon sequestration toward healthy and resilient soils.   

“I love having students involved in the project,” Vanags said. “For me it’s a rare experience for a student, particularly in an urban setting, to be able to immerse themselves in what I consider a very tranquil environment that also has a lot of educational opportunities to it. I absolutely love that aspect of it.  

“So part of this [project] is not just about science, but learning to observe. There is a great opportunity here to improve well-being. Being a scientist means you are observant, and observant means you are present, and that has a really positive impact on wellness. I hope that part of this [project] is a place for people to retreat, observe things and take a moment—go sit in one of those Adirondack chairs and think about things.”    

Learn how to participate.>>  

In 2023, a PhenoCam was installed overlooking the Native Meadow to study the relationship between the climate and the periodic events in biological life cycles of the trees and the plants. The cam and its data are overseen by Lin Meng , assistant professor of earth and environmental sciences, and her team.   

The PhenoCam Network was established in 2008 by Northern Arizona University to use imagery from networked digital cameras to track phenology in a diverse range of ecosystems across North America and around the world. Today, there are over 700 sites, including the camera at the Vanderbilt Native Meadow.   

Explore the data.>>

See today’s photo.>>

Art Inspiration  

After an initial conversation with Vanags, Professor Angus Galloway from the Art Department began collaborating with him on how to take learning outside the classroom, creating a mobile learning environment where students could explore new places on campus to activate their imaginations.

“Where clearly there is a structure to layout and the plants and the planting, this space is just able to grow—and the plants within the space just get to go where they need to go, which is great,” Galloway said. “So I was like, ‘You know, my students should come here.’ And they should do a project taking what they have learned in class and fusing it with this meadow—but only after they have confronted it, learned more about it. And each student really took it their own direction.”  

This initial project inspired Galloway to incorporate the meadow into future classes, including a new collaboration with SSMV instructor Dr. Menton Deweese and students to use inspiration from the meadow to create artwork using patterns found in nature and explore the science behind pigmentation and paper making. The project titled “Paper Experiments” is on display in the Peabody Fireside Room.”

Making Music  

Jonathan Rattner , associate professor and director of undergraduate students in the cinema and media arts, uses filmmaking to dive deeper into the idea of sensory experiences as a part of storytelling. After talking with Vanags and learning about the Native Meadow, Rattner began thinking about how to connect more with the natural world, including with plants and trees. He attached a synthesizer to plants in the garden, and he lets the plants do the talking and create music.   

“Some people look at the plant stuff and think it is silly because it is not really speaking or making music, but to me it is a sensory thing. It is a way of listening in a new way, experiencing the plants in a new way. And, arguably, that actually changes the way we interact with it,” Rattner said. “The hope is, and the plan with the garden, is to connect some more focused technology so we know exactly what they are focusing on—like the heat, for example—so we can actually track data.”  

Listen to the music.>>

The Native Meadow is open to the public. If you visit, share your photos and videos with @FutureVUSustainability on Instagram for a chance to be featured on the account.

Keep Reading

Vanderbilt researchers explore new science education approach to build youths’ agency amid climate anxiety

HRSA awards $4 million to VUSN to address need for nurse-midwives and access to care

WATCH: 5 sustainability efforts you may not know about at Vanderbilt (Part Two) 

Explore story topics.

• myVU Latest Headlines
• myVU Students
• Allison Walker
• Angus Galloway
• Chris Vanags
• Cinema and Media Arts
• Department of Art
• Department of Biological Sciences
• Department of Cinema and Media Arts
• Division of Administration
• earth and environmental sciences
• Earth and Environmental studies
• Earth Month 2024
• FutureVu Sustainability
• Jonathan Rattner
• myvu monday
• Research News
• Vanderbilt Arboretum
• VU research news

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

2024 National Strategy for Suicide Prevention

Suicide is an urgent and growing public health crisis. More than 49,000 people in the United States died by suicide in 2022. That’s one death every 11 minutes.

National Strategy for Suicide Prevention

The 2024 National Strategy for Suicide Prevention is a bold new 10-year, comprehensive, whole-of-society approach to suicide prevention that provides concrete recommendations for addressing gaps in the suicide prevention field. This coordinated and comprehensive approach to suicide prevention at the national, state, tribal, local, and territorial levels relies upon critical partnerships across the public and private sectors. People with lived experience are critical to the success of this work. 

 The National Strategy seeks to prevent suicide risk in the first place; identify and support people with increased risk through treatment and crisis intervention; prevent reattempts; promote long-term recovery; and support survivors of suicide loss. 

Four strategic directions guide the National Strategy:

Strategic Direction 1: Community-Based Suicide Prevention

Goal 1: Establish effective, broad-based, collaborative, and sustainable suicide prevention partnerships.

Goal 2: Support upstream comprehensive community-based suicide prevention.

Goal 3: Reduce access to lethal means among people at risk of suicide.

Goal 4: Conduct postvention and support people with suicide-centered lived experience.

Goal 5: Integrate suicide prevention into the culture of the workplace and into other community settings.

Goal 6: Build and sustain suicide prevention infrastructure at the state, tribal, local, and territorial levels.

Goal 7: Implement research-informed suicide prevention communication activities in diverse populations using best practices from communication science.

Strategic Direction 2: Treatment and Crisis Services

Goal 8: Implement effective suicide prevention services as a core component of health care.

Goal 9: Improve the quality and accessibility of crisis care services across all communities.

Strategic Direction 3: Surveillance, Quality Improvement, and Research

Goal 10: Improve the quality, timeliness, scope, usefulness, and accessibility of data needed for suicide-related surveillance, research, evaluation, and quality improvement.

Goal 11: Promote and support research on suicide prevention.

Strategic Direction 4: Health Equity in Suicide Prevention

Goal 12: Embed health equity into all comprehensive suicide prevention activities.

Goal 13: Implement comprehensive suicide prevention strategies for populations disproportionately affected by suicide, with a focus on historically marginalized communities, persons with suicide-centered lived experience, and youth.

Goal 14: Create an equitable and diverse suicide prevention workforce that is equipped and supported to address the needs of the communities they serve.

Goal 15: Improve and expand effective suicide prevention programs for populations disproportionately impacted by suicide across the life span through improved data, research, and evaluation.

Federal Action Plan

The Federal Action Plan identifies more than 200 actions across the federal government to be taken over the next three years in support of those goals. These actions include:

• Evaluating promising community-based suicide prevention strategies
• Identifying ways to address substance use/overdose and suicide risk together in the clinical setting
• Funding a mobile crisis locator for use by 988 crisis centers
• Increasing support for survivors of suicide loss and others whose lives have been impacted by suicide

These actions will be monitored and evaluated regularly to determine progress and success, and to further identify barriers to suicide prevention.

Get Involved

Join the conversation. Everyone has a role to play in preventing the tragedy of suicide. Find social media material, templates, and other resources to support and participate in the shared effort.

Read the press release

* This content is undergoing Section 508 remediation. For immediate assistance, contact [email protected] .

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

Here's how you know

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Strategic Research Plans: Defining Challenges, Inspiring Research

Archival notice.

This is an archive page that is no longer being updated. It may contain outdated information and links may no longer function as originally intended.

To support our strategic and overarching research goals, we have developed a series of strategic research plans on topics within crime and justice that span our two science offices. These plans build off of existing research knowledge; input about research needs gathered from practitioners, policymakers and researchers; and the priorities of Congress and the Administration.

We anticipate that investments made under these plans will dramatically improve the body of knowledge that policymakers and practitioners rely on to promote safety, prevent and respond to crime, and advance justice at every level of the criminal justice system.

Each strategic research plan emphasizes the importance of supporting multidisciplinary scholarship and practice that address the spectrum of issues facing criminal justice in the United States. To meet the goals of each plan, we envision researchers from all disciplines working together and connecting areas of research that have not previously been connected. The collaboration necessary to meet the goals of each plan is not limited to the research communities. Researchers will need to engage with and understand policy and practice communities as well. We are confident that in the future NIJ's research will be cross-disciplinary and collaborative, encouraging the field to view the criminal justice system holistically, while drawing on expertise of other fields that have been examining topics relevant to crime and justice.

We anticipate that investments made under these plans will dramatically improve the body of knowledge that policymakers and practitioners rely on to promote safety, prevent and respond to crime, and advance justice at every level of the criminal justice system. Finally, we hope that by clearly outlining the most pressing challenges, we will guide the research community to begin addressing these questions and garner new interest in scientific research as it applies to the criminal justice system.

Current active plans:

• Forensic Sciences, 2022-2026

Current plans under revision. 

• Courts, 2020-2024
• Corrections, 2018-2023
• Law Enforcement Advancing Data and Science (LEADS) Initiative, 2018-2023
• Policing, 2017-2022

Expired plans:

• Safety, Health, and Wellness, 2016-2021 ​
• Strategic Research Plan for the Sentinel Events Initiative, 2017-2021  

NIJ is revising all current strategic research plans. Links to plans under revision have been removed. 

New Research in Psychological Science

• Political Psychology
• Psychological Science
• Visual Attention

Compassion Fatigue as a Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: Believing Compassion Is Limited Increases Fatigue and Decreases Compassion Izzy Gainsburg and Julia Lee Cunningham  

Compassion has health and well-being benefits for the self and others. Unfortunately, people sometimes experience compassion fatigue—a decreased ability to feel compassion—when they are repeatedly exposed to people suffering. Thus, the present research explores a factor that can mitigate compassion fatigue: changing people’s compassion mindsets. Our research suggests that when people believe compassion is fatiguing and a limited resource, they experience more compassion fatigue and provide lower-quality social support; however, when people believe compassion is energizing and not limited, they feel less compassion fatigue and provide higher-quality social support. We also show that people can change their limited-compassion mindsets and become less susceptible to compassion fatigue. Altogether, this research cautions people against assuming they will experience compassion fatigue and to allow for the possibility that compassion for someone in need can be an energizing experience that motivates people to care about others in need, too. 

Different Representational Mechanisms for Imagery and Perception: Modulation Versus Excitation Thomas Pace, Roger Koenig-Robert, and Joel Pearson  

Imagine trying to describe a favorite memory to a friend. The mental image is not as defined or strong as the original experience, right? Our research delved into this phenomenon, showing that the process of mental imagery and visual perception are quite different. When we imagine something, we create a sort of picture in our mind, but without the sensory input that comes from the eyes. To help create this mental picture, our brain employs a clever strategy: It dims the activity related to elements we do not imagine, rather like turning down the background noise to focus on a conversation. This paradigm shift in our understanding might explain why mental imagery is seldom experienced as richly as perception and may put an upper limit to its strength. 

Gaze-Triggered Communicative Intention Compresses Perceived Temporal Duration Yiwen Yu, Li Wang, and Yi Jiang 

Our experience of time is not the authentic representation of physical time and can be distorted by the properties of the stimuli. In this research, we report a novel temporal illusion: that eye gaze, being a crucial social cue, can distort subjective time perception of unchanged objects. Specifically, adult participants compared the duration of two objects before and after they had implicitly seen that one object was consistently under gaze whereas the other object was never under gaze. We found that gaze-associated objects were perceived as having a shorter duration than nonassociated ones. This effect was driven by intention processing elicited by social cues, as nonsocial cues (i.e., arrows) and blocked gaze failed to induce such time distortions. Notably, individuals lower in autistic traits showed greater susceptibility to gaze-induced time distortions. This research highlights the role of high-level social function in time perception. Time flies faster when observers are confronted with objects that fell under others’ gaze. 

The Role of Humor Production and Perception in the Daily Life of Couples: An Interest-Indicator Perspective Kenneth Tan, Bryan Choy, and Norman Li  

Humor has typically been shown to promote attraction and is highly desired by potential mates, but the day-to-day unfolding of how humor affects relationship maintenance has rarely been examined. In this research, we tested whether relationship quality on a daily basis precedes humor or the other way around, using a sample of college students in Singapore. We found consistent evidence that individuals engaged in humorous interactions to the extent that they reported greater relationship quality on the previous day, but not the other way around. These findings enhance our understanding of the role of humor in relationship maintenance and highlight the importance of examining bidirectional processes between relationship quality and humor in interpersonal interactions.  

Listen to related Under the Cortex episode .

Numerical Representation for Action in Crows Obeys the Weber-Fechner Law Maximilian Kirschhock and Andreas Nieder  

Whereas the laws governing the judgment of perceived numbers of objects by the “number sense” have been studied in detail, the behavioral principles of equally important number representations for action are largely unexplored. We trained crows to judge numerical values of instruction stimuli from one to five and to flexibly perform a matching number of pecks. Our quantitative behavioral data show an impressive correspondence of number representations found in the motor domain with those described earlier in the sensory system. We report that nonsymbolic number production obeys the psychophysical Weber-Fechner law. Our report helps to resolve a classical debate in psychophysics. It suggests that this way of coding numerical information is not constrained to sensory or memory processes but constitutes a general principle of nonsymbolic number representations. Thus, logarithmic relationships between objective number and subjective numerical representations pervade not only sensation but also motor production.  

Feedback on this article? Email  [email protected]  or login to comment.

APS regularly opens certain online articles for discussion on our website. Effective February 2021, you must be a logged-in APS member to post comments. By posting a comment, you agree to our Community Guidelines and the display of your profile information, including your name and affiliation. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations present in article comments are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of APS or the article’s author. For more information, please see our Community Guidelines .

Please login with your APS account to comment.

Latin American Psychological Science: Will the Global North Make Room?

Seven authors outline factors that influence scientific advancements in Latin America and identify potential avenues for reframing research conducted in the region, especially by Latin American researchers, in the global scientific landscape.

New APS Board Members Look to Strategic Plan, Emerging Researchers to Advance the Science

Three influential psychological scientists known for their work involving behavior change, intergroup relations, and memory have joined the APS Board of Directors for 2022–2023.

The Burden of the COVID-19 Pandemic May Motivate Outbreaks of Violent Protest and Antigovernment Sentiment

Civil unrest and political violence may be related to the psychological burden of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Privacy Overview