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

Jared R. Curhan
Behavioral and Policy Sciences
Gordon Kaufman Professor of Management
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Drazen Prelec
Economics|Brain & Cognitive Sciences
Digital Equipment Corp. Leaders for Global Operations Professor of Management
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Leyla Omeragic Buljina
Behavioral Research Lab Coordinator
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Abdullah Almaatouq
Management Science
Douglas Drane Career Development Professor in Information Technology
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Rahul Bhui
Management Science
Class of 1958 Career Development Assistant Professor
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John S. Carroll
Behavioral and Policy Sciences
Gordon Kaufman Professor of Management, Emeritus
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Emilio J. Castilla
Behavioral and Policy Sciences
NTU Professor of Management
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Jackson G. Lu
Behavioral and Policy Sciences
Sloan School Career Development Associate Professor of Work and Organization Studies
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Thomas W. Malone
Behavioral and Policy Sciences
Patrick J. McGovern (1959) Professor of Management
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Hazhir Rahmandad
Management Science
Schussel Family Professor of Management Science
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David G. Rand
Brain & Cognitive Sciences
Professor, Marketing
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Basima Tewfik
Behavioral and Policy Sciences
Class of 1943 Career Development Professor
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Y. Karen Zheng
Management Science
George M. Bunker Professor
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