375 



We view the admission of the lUPsyS Into ICSU as an event of the first 

 Importance to international science. ICSU's vitality both reflects and 

 contributes to the nonpolltical cooperation of scientists around the world. 

 While it is supported by UNESCO, ICSU is more successful than UNESCO in 

 avoiding politiclzation. Some would claim that this is because ICSU is solely 

 concerned with science. Just so. And as more social and behavioral sciences 

 gain admission to ICSU, following psychology's model, some of the most heavily 

 criticized of UNESCO's programs should improve, on the theory that the 

 politiclzation of UNESCO's programs in the social sciences, education, and 

 communications was abetted by a weak and disorganized U.S. presence In these 

 areas within the world body. A shortcut to the improvement of UNESCO, one 

 that would not rely on the relatively cumbersome ICSU structure, would be the 

 development of more effective international programs in the social and 

 behavioral sciences by the U.S. international science community (government, 

 universities, industry, foundations, professional and trade associations, 

 etc.). The United States could also improve the quality and quantity of 

 international cooperation in the social sciences through more active 

 participation in the International Social Science Council. While relatively 

 weak and underfunded, this organization nevertheless performs some important 

 functions, e.g., in the area of social science documentation, which might be 

 one area in which a stepped-up U.S. effort would be appropriate. 



Conclusion 



We hope that as it plots its agenda for the coming 18 months the Task 

 Force on Science Policy will be sensitive to the very special resources and 

 the particular needs of the social and behavioral sciences and will devote 

 some specific attention to this distinct "region" of science. 



If we may suggest a conclusion to the Task Force, we urge that a social 

 and behavioral science component be built into all large multidlsciplinary 

 science programs that have application to human society or to human use of the 

 biosphere. In addition to the programs named above, we would suggest that the 

 social and behavioral sciences have a great deal to contribute at present to 

 development agencies at the national (AID) and international (World Bank, 

 World Health Organization, Food and Agriculture Organization) levels. 

 Psychology is a science of motivation, learning, and adaptation, and the 

 successful application of scientific (and clinical) findings always depends to 

 some extent, and often depends totally, on these human factors. Beginning 

 with scientific methods of personnel selection and equipment design, 

 psychologists have worked consistently at smoothing out interactions between 

 man and machine, between technology and society, and between, among, and 

 within individuals and social groups. Furthermore, because their decisions 

 have profound effects on human lives in the areas of health, economics, and 

 education, psychologists have cultivated the habit of evaluating their efforts 

 and the effects they have. In short, psychologists are alive to the human 

 side of science. 



I have also touched on some of the particular needs of the social and 

 behavioral sciences on the international scale. Cooperation and exchange is 

 still greatly impeded by the shortage of funds for various aspects of 

 international projects, including travel. APA has for many years received 



