Social research key to designing impactful policies

Social research is playing an increasingly central role in crafting impactful public policies. Societies are at the heart of policymaking, so interweaving public interest with policy design is a powerful way to unveil many advantageous opportunities for fine-tuning solutions. As such, there are plenty of strategic advantages for establishing dedicated social research units within governmental agencies.
Engaging in social research revolves around understanding the interplay of the needs, attitudes, motivations and behaviors of constituents on a variety of issues, which could later translate into actionable strategies and solutions. For instance, many strategies are concerned with promoting specific desirable behaviors that would prove optimal for all parties involved, such as healthy lifestyles or financial planning. Deep-diving into common obstacles or motivations will help policymakers design ways to facilitate the adoption of such practices.
Detecting the causes and effects of specific social challenges could also provide guidance to policymakers on how to improve overall social outcomes. Examples include understanding the main triggers behind high divorce rates, voluntary unemployment or factors influencing the selection of university degree programs.
Social research also allows governments to evaluate the impact of their decisions on specific audiences in order to understand what worked in various contexts and the reasons behind policy successes. Perhaps most importantly, social research captures the voices of different social segments so that necessary policy actions can be crafted that address their unique needs. Moreover, such research insights can be used to fine-tune effective and appealing communication strategies to specific target audiences.
Across the globe, many governments have already established dedicated units that are responsible for conducting social research on real-life problems. An extensive variety of topics have been explored during social surveys that were later leveraged to formulate positive policy outcomes. Examples include understanding health determinants of various social segments, examining practices concerning financial planning and debt management, and identifying critical factors behind school or university dropout.
To illustrate a point in practice, social researchers in many economies were engaged to measure attitudes toward parenting and its relation to fertility rates in order to craft suitable work-life balance policies and care services that could help elevate both employment and fertility rates. Social research was also critical during the COVID-19 pandemic to understand factors related to vaccine hesitancy, hygiene practices and infection causes in order to design effective outbreak responses.
Interestingly, a salient theme imprinting much social research recently is understanding the multifaceted ways in which the pandemic has disrupted and remodeled society. Within the plentitude of social research are stories of individuals and communities who have permanently changed the way they work, have a renewed appreciation for social connections and have increased their reliance on digital platforms to access education, e-commerce or get medical advice. Such implications are transforming how economies and societies function, necessitating agile governmental interventions in order to remain competitive.
The UK government’s experience with social research is worth mentioning in this context. Currently, more than 2,400 social researchers are employed across various departments with the aim of publishing insightful research and advice that can be translated into support for policy solutions and interventions. For example, a recent survey by the Department for Work and Pensions examined how separated parents were able to agree on child maintenance arrangements, what their common challenges were and how government interventions could ensure children receive essential services while their parents are in high conflict or facing complex circumstances and financial constraints.
In another example, the US-based Pew Research Center regularly publishes demographic research, social science research and public opinion polling in order to inform policymaking and public dialogue on key issues. The center’s work covers an extensive list of topics, including demographic trends, the economy and employment, immigration attitudes, education, health policy, science and technology, and family and relationships. To illustrate, recent interesting publications discussed the top factors that contributed to finding meaning in one’s life, how populations are reacting to climate-related news stories, and consumer attitudes toward purchasing electric vehicles.

Social research captures the voices of different social segments so that necessary policy actions can be crafted that address their unique needs.

Sara Al-Mulla

In another example, the center last month published survey results revealing the shifting priorities of Americans around health and social activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. More than a quarter of Americans stated that adopting a healthy lifestyle became more important to them, citing exercise, healthy eating and mental health as some key trends. About 21 percent of respondents revealed a newfound enjoyment for social activities, with many taking more time to engage in social gatherings with family and friends than before the pandemic. Interestingly, 9 percent of respondents showed a decreased valuation of their jobs, perhaps hinting at the many reasons the job market faced an exodus of competent employees seeking fulfillment elsewhere. Such insights could offer policymakers a plethora of policy roadmaps to explore in the future.
In a similar vein, the annual Australian Survey of Social Attitudes offers policymakers an understanding of the social attitudes, beliefs and opinions of Australians on a variety of salient issues. Past surveys have explored topics such as the role of government, social networks and social resources, health and healthcare, the environment, and work orientations. This year’s survey is focused on “Family and Changing Gender Roles,” which will pose questions around the evolving structures of families, perceptions of parenthood, income insecurity and attitudes toward marriage, happiness and life satisfaction. By exploring this topic in greater depth, policymakers can also design preemptive policies addressing related issues, such as urban planning, housing needs, family-friendly employment policies, care services and immigration rules.
By delving into an illuminating collection of data-driven social research, policymakers can unravel a wealth of insights that can inspire practical policy solutions and opportunities.

• Sara Al-Mulla is an Emirati civil servant with an interest in human development policy and children’s literature. She can be contacted at www.amorelicious.com.