Ontologies in the Behavioral Sciences: Accelerating Research and the Spread of Knowledge describes how ontologies support science and its application to real-world problems. That report details how ontologies function, how they can be engineered to better support the behavioral sciences, and the resources needed to sustain their development and use to help ensure the maximum benefit from investment in behavioral science research. The full report published in May, 2022. This digest version summarizes the primary ideas presented in that report.

Contents

• The National Academies of SCIENCES • ENGINEERING • MEDICINE
• COMMITTEE ON ACCELERATING BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE THROUGH ONTOLOGY DEVELOPMENT AND USE
• BOARD ON BEHAVIORAL, SENSORY, AND COGNITIVE SCIENCES
• 1. Introduction
• 2. What Are Ontologies?
• 3. Why Do Ontologies Matter?
  • CHALLENGES WITH SYNTHESIZING AND APPLYING KNOWLEDGE
  • CHALLENGES WITH GENERALIZING RESEARCH FINDINGS AND BUILDING AND STRUCTURING KNOWLEDGE
  • HOW ONTOLOGIES FACILITATE SCIENCE
• 4. Ontologies in the Behavioral Sciences
  • A FORMALLY SPECIFIED ONTOLOGY: THE BEHAVIORAL CHANGE INTERVENTION ONTOLOGY
  • CLASSIFICATION SYSTEMS FOR MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS
  • DISCUSSION
• 5. Engineering Behavioral Ontologies
  • EXISTING BEHAVIORAL ONTOLOGIES
  • THE ONTOLOGY ENGINEERING PROCESS
  • DISCUSSION
• 6. Supporting and Sustaining Behavioral Ontologies

Suggested citation:

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2022. Ontologies in the Behavioral Sciences: Accelerating Research and the Spread of Knowledge, Digest Version. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/26755.

Digital Object Identifier: https://doi.org/10.17226/26755

Additional copies of this publication are available from the National Academies Press, 500 Fifth Street, NW, Keck 360, Washington, DC 20001; (800) 624-6242 or (202) 334-3313; http://www.nap.edu.

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