The Decision Lab’s Behavioral Science Communication Contest

Behavioral science has seen meteoric rise in the past few decades. It’s changed our understanding of how and why we spend and whether money can buy happiness. It can explain why debias training is useless and algorithms are biased. It’s given us the tools to revolutionize healthcare and beat procrastination. Behavioral science sheds light on why younger generations are eco-anxious and what they can do about it. It’s explained why we believe our horoscopes and how Facebook shapes our psyche. And it’s not showing any signs of slowing down.

A field ripe with opportunities for real-world application, behavioral science is only beginning to be used in the world around us. We’re endlessly excited about how it will continue to change the world – and if you’re interested in submitting, so are you.

• The winner will receive a $1000 Grand Prize, be featured to 100,000+ subscribers, and be published to our website for millions of viewers
• Runner-ups will receive a $100 Honorarium and be published on our website

• Authors should be enrolled in a university or college program (undergraduate, Master's, or PhD) or have graduated within a year of their submission date
• Articles should be ~1000-2000 words in length
• The deadline for submissions is midnight on January 31, 2024
• Submissions should be emailed to info@thedecisionlab.com with ‘Contest Submission’ in the subject line
• Citations should be reputable and cited in APA format
• Submissions must be from a single author

The Decision Lab’s mission is to democratize behavioral science. Not only are we looking for informational accuracy and stellar writing skills – we’re looking for articles that can engage readers of all knowledge levels, from besci beginners to seasoned experts. We’re looking for articles that incorporate cutting-edge insights or applications, instead of reusing common practices. And most importantly, we’re looking for work that’s tied to a real-world impact. We love theory as much as the next science communicator, but our goal isn’t just bringing behavioral science to the masses – we want to make it useful. 

The strongest submissions, in true TDL style, will include these three elements: 

1. Insight into up-to-date research in behavioral science. As the field grows, so does our understanding of it. We’re looking for articles that understand the fast-paced nature of the field, using concepts that have evolved or stood the test of time. 
2. Clear, engaging, and accessible writing for a broad audience. Scientific discovery is nothing if not accessible to the public. Our goal – and yours – is to bring academic research to a diverse, international audience. And remember: communicating science doesn’t need to be dull.
3. Relevance to real-world challenges and their solutions. What is research for if not to improve the world around us? As a socially-driven organization, we use behavioral science to make the world a better place. A wide scope, this can span from helping people reduce their screen time, to nudging doctors to wash their hands more, to increasing clean cookstove adoption in Uganda. 

• Should We Pay Students to go to School?
• The Science Behind the Barnum Effect
• This is Personal: The Do's and Don'ts of Personalization in Tech
• The Behavioral Science Behind Spotify Wrapped’s Viral Success
• Eco-Anxiety: Friend or Foe?
• How Diversity Statements Backfire—and What Organizations Can Do About It
• “I’m Speaking”: Gender Differences in Digital Workplace Communication
• Much Ado About Nothing: Remote Work and Burnout
• How Implicit Biases Complicate Female Mentorship
• Brave New World: How the Metaverse May Shape Our Psychology

By submitting your article, you agree to potentially having your work published on the TDL website. If your piece is selected for publication, it remains your intellectual property. However, we reserve unlimited rights to use it in perpetuity.