Social Psychology

The Social Psychology Program offered by the National Science Foundation (NSF) is a federal grant opportunity designed to support theoretically driven empirical research in the field of social psychology. The program resides within the Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE), specifically under the Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences. The program seeks to fund studies that advance fundamental explanations of human behavior, attitudes, and experiences by examining how social forces operate on both macro and micro levels. These include cognitive, emotional, motivational, neural, and physiological processes that underlie the way individuals perceive themselves and relate to others. A key emphasis of this program is to foster groundbreaking research with the potential to significantly reshape current understanding of social dynamics and their effects on individuals. While the program strongly encourages proposals that contribute to basic scientific knowledge, it also promotes research that connects these insights to pressing global issues. The initiative is particularly welcoming of projects that develop new theoretical models or innovative methodological approaches in the social psychological domain. However, projects that prioritize improving clinical practice or are primarily concerned with medical diagnoses, treatments, or disease-related goals are considered out of scope and may be returned without review. The application process supports a wide array of proposal types including regular research submissions, Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) proposals, and submissions from research in undergraduate institutions (RUI). Additionally, the program accepts proposals for exploratory research (EAGER), rapid-response research (RAPID), and small conference support for events scheduled at least one year in advance. Proposals must be submitted through either Research.gov or Grants.gov in accordance with the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide or the NSF Grants.gov Application Guide. Principal Investigators are required to use program code PD 22-1332 when submitting proposals. It is also strongly encouraged that applicants submit a “List of Suggested Reviewers” as a Single Copy Document to aid in the review process. Proposals will be evaluated based on both their intellectual merit and broader impacts. To score well on intellectual merit, submissions should be theoretically sound, empirically driven, and methodologically robust—whether through experimental designs, field studies, computational modeling, or other appropriate methods. For broader impacts, the program prioritizes research that offers tangible societal benefits, bolsters national security, improves quality of life, builds scientific capacity, enhances education infrastructure, or increases public engagement with science. Clear plans for dissemination of results to diverse audiences are expected, and adherence to open science practices, including detailed Data Management and Sharing Plans, is required. The program highlights the importance of proactive investigator communication with NSF staff prior to proposal submission. Prospective applicants are encouraged to send a one-page summary of their research plan—including proposed intellectual merit, broader impacts, and references cited—before arranging a consultation. This step is especially beneficial for confirming the programmatic fit of a proposed project. The Social Psychology Program currently does not have any announced upcoming due dates and operates on a rolling deadline basis, meaning that proposals can be submitted at any time. As such, the program is not considered recurring. The primary contact for the program is reachable at [email protected]. There are no specific named individuals listed as contacts, and no downloadable PDF guidance or solicitation was identified within the provided source material. The program remains a central resource for investigators aiming to contribute transformative research to the field of social psychology.

Submit proposals with strong theoretical grounding, empirically validated design, and clear broader impacts. Include an open science plan and data sharing strategy.