Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences

The U.S. National Science Foundation Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE) supports basic research on people and society. This includes the study of human behavior and social organizations, as well as research on how social, economic, political, cultural and environmental forces affect the lives of people from birth to old age and how people in turn shape those forces. SBE also supports research infrastructure in social and behavioral sciences, including surveys that provide data about American society and about the state of the U.S. science and engineering enterprise. At every level, researchers supported by SBE are making transformative discoveries that empower America's industries and communities, provide opportunities for entrepreneurs and create the knowledge that fuels American economic leadership.