Social scientists say societal impact is the ultimate goal, finds global survey

SAGE

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A new white paper from Sage reveals a gap between the aspirations for societal impact of social and behavioral science (SBS) researchers and the leaders and systems that govern their careers. While researchers worldwide are deeply committed to making a difference beyond academia, many see a disconnect between their goals and the incentive and reward structures shaped by universities. 

With scientific research—especially in the social and behavioral sciences—facing reduced funding and shifting policy demands, understanding what drives researchers to pursue social impact becomes critical. Titled “Do social scientists care if they make societal impact?,” the new report draws on survey responses from over 1,800 SBS researchers across 96 countries.  

While 92% of respondents agree that the ultimate goal of research is to benefit society, only 76% believe that their peers share the same view, a figure that drops to 68% for their institutional leadership. 

“At Sage, we believe social science has the power to improve, and even save, lives—a belief that has driven us to champion these disciplines for 60 years,” said Ziyad Marar, President of Global Publishing at Sage. “At times, this means we have to challenge the status quo of what matters in higher education, for example, by moving beyond an overemphasis on scholarly impact measures toward recognizing research that benefits people through policy, practice, and public life. It’s important that we listen closely to researchers themselves as we do this work—understanding what motivates them, where they focus their efforts, and what barriers stand in their way. This report does exactly that.” 

Additional key Findings: 

• Prestige metrics are misaligned with values: Researchers value peer regard more than citation metrics, yet perceive administrators prioritize impact factors—creating tension in tenure and promotion decisions. 
• Career advancement isn’t the main motivator: Most researchers say they care more about impact than climbing the academic ladder, yet believe their peers and institutions are more career-focused.  
• Rewards for real-world application are scarce: Only 37% say their institution rewards applying research outside academia through tenure or promotion; 30% say they receive no recognition at all.  

“The only measure that I really care about is my ability to impact practice in the field, and yet there is no good way to know if that happens. All the other metrics … are internal to the discipline and really don't measure anything useful. I don't care about impacting my colleagues and being cited, I want to impact practice in the field.” – Survey Respondent in the United States  

The white paper offers actionable insights for universities, funders, and publishers seeking to foster research that benefits policy, practice, and the public. Download the white paper.