About | Behavioral Research Lab

History and Mission

The MIT Behavioral Research Lab (BRL) was founded in 2006 with support from the Office of the Provost. In 2016, the BRL became a part of MIT Sloan School of Management and has since then received its funding from MIT Sloan’s Office of the Dean. The BRL remains an Institute-wide resource serving all MIT-affiliated behavioral researchers.

The mission of the MIT Behavioral Research Lab (BRL) is to facilitate impactful, innovative, cutting-edge behavioral research at MIT. We carry out this mission by providing lab facilities, recruitment services, and general support to behavioral researchers across MIT while enabling individuals inside and outside of MIT to participate in meaningful research studies.

What is Behavioral Research?

Behavioral research can be broadly defined as the study of human and animal behavior in response to internal or external stimuli. This includes our interactions with other individuals, our reactions to changes in the physical environment, and the decisions we make in different situations. While behavioral research is more directly associated with the “behavioral sciences” (which consist of disciplines such as psychology, sociology, and economics), it is frequently conducted in business, computer science, education, and many other fields for the purpose of examining human behavior in real-life contexts.

Our Leadership Team and Advisory Board

Leadership Team

Y. Karen Zheng

Management Science

George M. Bunker Professor

Learn More

Which program is right for you?

Executive Programs

Behavioral Research Lab

History and Mission

What is Behavioral Research?

Our Leadership Team and Advisory Board

Leadership Team

Jared R. Curhan

Drazen Prelec

Leyla Omeragic Buljina

Advisory Board

Abdullah Almaatouq

Rahul Bhui

John S. Carroll

Emilio J. Castilla

Jackson G. Lu

Thomas W. Malone

Hazhir Rahmandad

David G. Rand

Basima Tewfik

Y. Karen Zheng