Socio-Behavioral Research

Illustration of a human sitting with a notepad observing a dolphin swimming in the ocean. The human is above, looking down on the dolphin.

Overview

This research approach is used to analyze human attitudes and behaviors to generate theories and models that can inform design or intervention goals. SBR employs a comprehensive systems approach and follows strict, replicable and standardized research protocols. This allows SBR to maintain scientific rigor, build an evidence base and contribute to new scientific knowledge. 

Primary objective

This approach is especially useful to systematically explore attitudes and behaviors to develop models & theories.

Strategy

Low value

Explore how individual behavior might affect specific user needs

Design, implementation and evaluation

Medium value

Surface insights into participant's behaviors, offer models to inform how a product or intervention will fit into or alter their thoughts or actions.

Medium value

Understand what aspects of participants’ behaviors help or hinder the update of an intervention.

Adoption & scale

Primary value

Systematically explore the different social and behavioral factors that impact the update of an intervention in new locations or among different user groups.

Unique attributes

Strength in understanding a specific problem through the use of theoretical frameworks that help to narrow and sharpen the specific themes for investigation. 

Biased towards scientific knowledge generation using standardized protocols that link research questions to defined data sources and procedures for data collection, management and analysis.

Aims to remain objective through quasi-controlled research settings and strict control for researcher bias.