The National Science Foundation (NSF) is offering funding through its Social Psychology Program to support theoretically focused empirical research that advances fundamental social psychological explanations of human behavior, attitudes, and experiences. The program encourages investigations that explore how both macro- and micro-level social forces influence human behavior, including motivation, emotions, and cognitive processes. The goal of the program is to support research that offers groundbreaking insights into social dynamics and their influence on individual and collective human experience. Research that connects to emerging and ongoing global challenges is particularly encouraged.

Eligible research proposals should be theoretically grounded, empirically validated, and methodologically sound. The program supports a range of research methodologies, including experiments, naturalistic observations, field studies, longitudinal analyses, and computational modeling. Special emphasis is placed on projects that propose new theories or methodologies. The program does not support research primarily focused on improving clinical practice, disease-related goals, diagnosis, or treatment of mental or physical illnesses, medical abnormalities, or clinical interventions.

The program expects that research funded through this grant will follow open science practices, including data sharing with other researchers and the public. Researchers must submit a Data Management and Sharing Plan (DMSP) outlining how their research aligns with open science best practices. Proposals that do not align with these requirements may be returned without review.

Several types of proposals are accepted, including regular research proposals, Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) proposals, Research in Undergraduate Institutions (RUI) proposals, Rapid Response Research (RAPID) proposals, and Early-Concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER) proposals. Additionally, the program accepts small conference proposals for events planned at least one year in advance. However, it does not accept doctoral dissertation improvement awards or mid-career advancement (MCA) awards.

Applicants should submit proposals under program designation PD 22-1332 and are encouraged to reach out to program directors before submitting their proposals. A one-page summary of the proposed research should be provided before scheduling a meeting to confirm the project’s alignment with the program’s scope and priorities. Interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research approaches are encouraged, and applicants may seek co-review from other relevant NSF programs.

The program has two annual target dates for proposal submission: July 15 and January 15 of each year. All proposals must be submitted via Research.gov or Grants.gov in accordance with the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide. For additional guidance, applicants may contact program directors Jessi L. Smith (jlsmith@nsf.gov, 703-292-8740) or program specialist Tanika M. Malloy (tmalloy@nsf.gov, 703-292-2484). The NSF headquarters is located at 2415 Eisenhower Ave, Alexandria, VA 22314.