Behavioral Science Research Research Articles

Experience shapes non-linearities between team behavioral interdependence, team collaboration, and performance in massively multiplayer online games

This paper examines quantitative predictors of team performance in Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOGs) based on team management literature. Analyzing data from more than 140,000 squad-mode matches involving over 500,000 players, we replicate and extend existing research by confirming a curvilinear association between behavioral interdependence and team performance and introduce the moderating effect of experience. For less experienced teams, behavioral interdependence follows an inverted U-shaped pattern showing that excessive collaboration may be counterproductive. However, this is not the case for experienced teams, where the relationship is fairly linear. Additionally, we observe that riskier teams tend to perform worse. Moreover, our research also highlights the potential of e-sports data in advancing behavioral science and management research. The digital nature of e-sports datasets, characterized by size and granularity, mitigates concerns related to reproducibility, replicability, and generalizability in social science research, offering a cost-effective platform for scholars with diverse backgrounds.

179 Clinical and Translational Researchers from Underrepresented Groups Identify the Barriers they Experience

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Using the NIH’s expanded definition of underrepresented populations in the biomedical, clinical, behavioral and social science research enterprise, we examined the impediments for conducting translational research experienced by those from underrepresented groups. [https://acts.slayte.com/calls/detail/740a13de-316c-11ee-90f4-0e0ce905385c/draft/389221c1-434e-11ee-90f4-0e0ce905385c#_ftn1] #_ftn1 METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: One hundred and ninety-nine people completed a survey distributed to 750 persons who had interacted with our Center’s service cores as users, awardees, mentors, committee members, seminar attendees, and/or participated Center sponsored programming (response rate = 26.5%). The survey addressed barriers to conducting clinical and translational research at the respondent’s institution, awareness of and interest in using specific Advance RI-CTR services, and satisfaction with their institution’s efforts to support clinical and translational research. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Women reported access to collaboration across institutions as a barrier to clinical and translational research that existed to a great extent (28%) significantly more than men (10%). More than half (53%) of the other underrepresented researchers surveyed identified insufficient grant administration supportas a barrier that occurs to a great extent, compared with 35% of researchers who were not from an underrepresented group. Other barriers reported more frequently among underrepresented researchers included lack of pilot project funding, inadequate space for conducting research, lower access to collaborators across institutions, and difficulty obtaining advice on regulatory issues and commercial development. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Efforts to address the barriers identified by underrepresented groups will include, but not be limited to, improving collaborations across institutions, support for grant administration, and a discussion of plans for the Center to augment and advocate at the partner institutions on behalf of these underrepresented individuals.

The development and evolution of ethics review boards – Israel as a case study

Although well established in developed countries, Ethics review boards in the academia, and specifically for social and behavioral sciences (SBS) research, is a relatively new, and still a controversy inducing endeavor. This study explores the establishment and functioning of ERBs in Israeli academia, serving as a case study for the challenges and progress made in ensuring ethical research practices in non-medical related spheres. A purposeful sample of 46 participants was selected, comprising ERB current or past members and SBS researchers, who each interacted extensively with ERB’s evaluation processes. The participants came from all eight research universities of Israel, as well as seven large public and private academic colleges. Open, semi structured In-depth interviews were conducted in order to facilitate a critical reflective stance among the various participants, exploring their experiences, behaviors and the meanings they assign to ERB processes. Our research revealed two major themes. The first is the developmental trajectories in the construction processes of ERBs in Israel, comprised of the following stages: Initiation, expansion, opposition, and acceptance and assimilation. The second was a typology of participation throughout the ERBs’ construction process. Inspired by Merton’s strain theory, this typology includes conformists, ritualists, ideologists, control-freaks, and insurgents. The findings expose a unique perspective into the initiation, establishment, and development of ERBs, which can shed light on the role of ERBs in general, as well as point out how resistance to ERBs, as well as the different reasons for championing them, affected not only ERBs form and their legitimacy, but also their interaction with researchers.

One size doesn't fit all: methodological reflections in conducting community-based behavioural science research to tailor COVID-19 vaccination initiatives for public health priority populations.

Promoting the uptake of vaccination for infectious diseases such as COVID-19 remains a global challenge, necessitating collaborative efforts between public health units (PHUs) and communities. Applied behavioural science can play a crucial role in supporting PHUs' response by providing insights into human behaviour and informing tailored strategies to enhance vaccination uptake. Community engagement can help broaden the reach of behavioural science research by involving a more diverse range of populations and ensuring that strategies better represent the needs of specific communities. We developed and applied an approach to conducting community-based behavioural science research with ethnically and socioeconomically diverse populations to guide PHUs in tailoring their strategies to promote COVID-19 vaccination. This paper presents the community engagement methodology and the lessons learned in applying the methodology. The community engagement methodology was developed based on integrated knowledge translation (iKT) and community-based participatory research (CBPR) principles. The study involved collaboration with PHUs and local communities in Ontario, Canada to identify priority groups for COVID-19 vaccination, understand factors influencing vaccine uptake and co-design strategies tailored to each community to promote vaccination. Community engagement was conducted across three large urban regions with individuals from Eastern European communities, African, Black, and Caribbean communities and low socioeconomic neighbourhoods. We developed and applied a seven-step methodology for conducting community-based behavioural science research: (1) aligning goals with system-level partners; (2) engaging with PHUs to understand priorities; (3) understanding community strengths and dynamics; (4) building relationships with each community; (5) establishing partnerships (community advisory groups); (6) involving community members in the research process; and (7) feeding back and interpreting research findings. Research partnerships were successfully established with members of prioritized communities, enabling recruitment of participants for theory-informed behavioural science interviews, interpretation of findings, and co-design of targeted recommendations for each PHU to improve COVID-19 vaccination uptake. Lessons learned include the importance of cultural sensitivity and awareness of sociopolitical context in tailoring community engagement, being agile to address the diverse and evolving priorities of PHUs, and building trust to achieve effective community engagement. Effective community engagement in behavioural science research can lead to more inclusive and representative research. The community engagement approach developed and applied in this study acknowledges the diversity of communities, recognizes the central role of PHUs, and can help in addressing complex public health challenges.

Remembering Reasons for Reform: A More Replicable and Reproducible Communication Literature Without the Rancor

Increasing awareness of the “replication crisis” has prompted discussion about replicability and reproducibility in social and behavioral science research, including in communication. As with other fields, communication has seen discussion about concerns with the interpretation of existing research. One response has been the piecemeal adoption of “open science” practices in communication to reduce selectivity in analysis, reporting, and publication of research. Calls for further adoption of such practices have, in turn, been met with criticisms and concerns about the negative consequences of their adoption. Amidst disparate perspectives regarding solutions to replicability and reproducibility issues in communication science, difficulties building consensus and caution about negative outcomes are understandable, but they also present the risk of a status quo bias that could stall the improvement of the replicability and reproducibility of communication research. The urgency of the replication crisis for communication and the cost of inaction are presented here along three exemplifying dimensions perhaps of particular importance in communication research: (a) responsibility to the public, (b) stewardship of resources, and (c) membership in a community of scholars. While debate over solutions will continue, we would do well to keep in mind that problems with replicability and reproducibility in communication research are indeed a crisis needing immediate attention.

Burden of liver cancer mortality by county, race, and ethnicity in the USA, 2000–19: a systematic analysis of health disparities

Understanding how specific populations are affected by liver cancer is important for identifying priorities, policies, and interventions to mitigate health risks and reduce disparities. This study aims to provide comprehensive analysis of rates and trends in liver cancer mortality for different racial and ethnic populations in the USA nationally and at the county level from 2000 to 2019. We applied small-area estimation methods to death registration data from the US National Vital Statistics System and population data from the US National Center for Health Statistics to estimate liver cancer mortality rates by county, racial and ethnic population, and year (2000-19) in the USA. Race and ethnicity were categorised as non-Latino and non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native (AIAN), non-Latino and non-Hispanic Asian or Pacific Islander (Asian), non-Latino and non-Hispanic Black (Black), Latino or Hispanic (Latino), and non-Latino and non-Hispanic White (White). Estimates were adjusted using published misclassification ratios to correct for inaccuracies in race or ethnicity as recorded on death certificates, and then age-standardised. Mortality rate estimates are presented for all county and racial and ethnic population combinations with a mean annual population greater than 1000. Nationally, the age-standardised liver cancer mortality rate increased between the years 2000 (4·2 deaths per 100 000 population [95% uncertainty interval 4·1-4·3]) and 2016 (6·0 per 100 000 [5·9-6·1]), followed by a stabilisation in rates from 2016 to 2019 (6·1 per 100 000 [6·0-6·2]). Similar trends were observed across the AIAN, Black, Latino, and White populations, whereas the Asian population showed an overall decrease across the 20-year study period. Qualitatively similar trends were observed in most counties; however, the mortality rate and the rate of change varied substantially across counties, both within and across racial and ethnic populations. For the 2016-19 period, mortality continued to increase at a substantial rate in some counties even while it stabilised nationally. Nationally, the White population had the lowest mortality rate in all years, while the racial and ethnic population with the highest rate changed from the Asian population in 2000 to the AIAN population in 2019. Racial and ethnic disparities were substantial: in 2019, mortality was highest in the AIAN population (10·5 deaths per 100 000 [9·1-12·0]), notably lower for the Asian (7·5 per 100 000 [7·1-7·9]), Black (7·6 per 100 000 [7·3-7·8]), and Latino (7·7 per 100 000 [7·5-8·0]) populations, and lowest for the White population (5·5 [5·4-5·6]). These racial and ethnic disparities in mortality were prevalent throughout the country: in 2019, mortality was higher in minoritised racial and ethnic populations than in the White population living in the same county in 408 (87·7%) of 465 counties with unmasked estimates for the AIAN population, 604 (90·6%) of 667 counties for the Asian population, 1207 (81·2%) of 1486 counties for the Black population, and 1073 (73·0%) of 1469 counties for the Latino population. Although the plateau in liver cancer mortality rates in recent years is encouraging, mortality remains too high in many locations throughout the USA, particularly for minoritised racial and ethnic populations. Addressing population-specific risk factors and differences in access to quality health care is essential for decreasing the burden and disparities in liver cancer mortality across racial and ethnic populations and locations. US National Institutes of Health (Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities; National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; Intramural Research Program, National Cancer Institute; National Institute on Aging; National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases; Office of Disease Prevention; and Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research).

Business model innovation decisions: the role of group biases and risk willingness

PurposeManagers must make numerous strategic decisions in order to initiate and implement a business model innovation (BMI). This paper examines how managers perceive the management team interacts when making BMI decisions. The paper also investigates how group biases and board members’ risk willingness affect this process.Design/methodology/approachEmpirical data were collected through 26 in-depth interviews with German managing directors from 13 companies in four industries (mobility, manufacturing, healthcare and energy) to explore three research questions: (1) What group effects are prevalent in BMI group decision-making? (2) What are the key characteristics of BMI group decisions? And (3) what are the potential relationships between BMI group decision-making and managers' risk willingness? A thematic analysis based on Gioia's guidelines was conducted to identify themes in the comprehensive dataset.FindingsFirst, the results show four typical group biases in BMI group decisions: Groupthink, social influence, hidden profile and group polarization. Findings show that the hidden profile paradigm and groupthink theory are essential in the context of BMI decisions. Second, we developed a BMI decision matrix, including the following key characteristics of BMI group decision-making managerial cohesion, conflict readiness and information- and emotion-based decision behavior. Third, in contrast to previous literature, we found that individual risk aversion can improve the quality of BMI decisions.Practical implicationsThis paper provides managers with an opportunity to become aware of group biases that may impede their strategic BMI decisions. Specifically, it points out that managers should consider the key cognitive constraints due to their interactions when making BMI decisions. This work also highlights the importance of risk-averse decision-makers on boards.Originality/valueThis qualitative study contributes to the literature on decision-making by revealing key cognitive group biases in strategic decision-making. This study also enriches the behavioral science research stream of the BMI literature by attributing a critical influence on the quality of BMI decisions to managers' group interactions. In addition, this article provides new perspectives on managers' risk aversion in strategic decision-making.

Statistical power analysis and sample size planning for moderated mediation models.

Conditional process models, including moderated mediation models and mediated moderation models, are widely used in behavioral science research. However, few studies have examined approaches to conduct statistical power analysis for such models and there is also a lack of software packages that provide such power analysis functionalities. In this paper, we introduce new simulation-based methods for power analysis of conditional process models with a focus on moderated mediation models. These simulation-based methods provide intuitive ways for sample-size planning based on regression coefficients in a moderated mediation model as well as selected variance and covariance components. We demonstrate how the methods can be applied to five commonly used moderated mediation models using a simulation study, and we also assess the performance of the methods through the five models. We implement our approaches in the WebPower R package and also in Web apps to ease their application.

Comparative Culturology and Cross-Cultural Psychology: How Comparing Societal Cultures Differs From Comparing Individuals’ Minds Across Cultures

Cross-cultural research in social and behavioral sciences has expanded hugely over the past 50 years, but progress is currently hampered by a lack of appreciation of the profoundly differing principles and goals of two distinct traditions. The first is the main variant of cross-cultural psychology (CCP), focusing on how culture shapes individual psychological functioning. The second was pioneered by Hofstede. It studies societal differences, and we name it “comparative culturology” (CC). We explain how these two paradigms differ. CCP is grounded in psychology and typically looks for unobservable individual-level constructs, which supposedly exist independently of their measurement, to provide understanding of individual differences as affected by culture. CC is an interdisciplinary field whose roots and impact span sociology, anthropology, political science, economics, management studies, psychology, and beyond. CC measures cultural dimensions as group-level constructs created by researchers, which are best understood as ecological manifolds: conglomerates of conceptually and statistically associated variables (not necessarily held together by a single underlying factor) that collectively explain national (and other group) differences. Given these paradigmatic distinctions, the two fields need not, and cannot, use the same validation methods. They should co-exist and collaborate based on mutual appreciation of their differences, without attempts by either field to impose its idiosyncrasies on the other.

WEIRD-Confucian comparisons: Ongoing cultural biases in psychology's evidence base and some recommendations for improving global representation.

The realization that most behavioral science research focuses on cultures labeled as WEIRD-Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic (Arnett, 2008; Henrich et al., 2010; Thalmayer et al., 2021)-has given an impetus to extend the research to more diverse populations. Confucian East Asian societies have relatively strong social and technological infrastructure to advance science and thus have gained much prominence in cross-cultural studies. This has inadvertently fostered another bias: the dominance of WEIRD-Confucian comparisons and a tendency to draw conclusions about "non-WEIRD" cultures in general based on data from Confucian societies. Here, analyzing 1,466,019 scientific abstracts and, separately, coverage of 60 large-scale cross-cultural psychological projects (Nsamples = 2,668 from Ncountries = 153 covering nparticipants = 3,722,940), we quantify the dominance of Confucian over other non-WEIRD cultures in psychological research. Our analysis also reveals the underrepresentation of non-European Union postcommunist societies and the almost total invisibility of Pacific Island, Caribbean, Middle African, and Central Asian societies within the research database of psychology. We call for a shift in cross-cultural studies toward midsize (7+ countries) and ideally large-scale (50+ countries) cross-cultural studies, and we propose mitigations that we believe could aid the inclusion of diverse researchers as well as participants from underrepresented cultures in our field. People in all world regions and cultures deserve psychological knowledge that applies to them. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Guidelines to conduct research in computer-prompt software studies to decrease sedentary behaviors and increase physical activity in the workplace.

Computers are ubiquitous in the workplace and facilitate prolonged sitting, which has adverse health consequences. Various computer-prompt software programs are designed to decrease sedentary behaviors and increase physical activity in the workplace. However, specific guidelines that would improve research in this area have not been published. The objective of this article is to present recommendations for improving computer-prompt software research, to decrease sedentary behaviors and increase physical activity in the workplace. Ten domains were identified based on deficiencies in the current literature combined with quality assessment tools to reduce the risk for bias. The ten domains include composition of the research team, behavioral sciences theoretical frameworks, research design, alert types, outcome measures, confounding factors, intervention duration, carryover effects, racial/ethnic composition, and organizational culture. Specific recommendations are presented for each domain. The research team should include all stakeholders contributing as copartners in designing the intervention. For theory, a systems science framework was presented. Clustered randomized controlled trials were recommended, rather than randomization at the individual level. Distinct types of alerts (visual, auditory, or both) and frequency of alerts (hourly, randomly generated, or based on prolonged sitting patterns) are described. Outcome measures include average duration of sitting bouts, longest sitting bout, and number of sitting bouts. Prolonged sitting and physical inactivity at work lead to major health problems. Adherence to the recommendations presented here should facilitate high-quality research and improve the health of desk-based workers by decreasing sedentary behaviors and increasing physical activity.

Behavioral and psychological aspects of coffee consumption.

The chapter "Behavioral and Psychological Aspects of Coffee Consumption" delves into the complex interplay between coffee drinking and cognitive functions, human behavior, and health-related effects. It starts by looking at coffee's physiological impacts, such as how it affects the body's neurotransmitter systems, metabolism, cardiovascular health, liver health, mental health, and bone health. The larger framework of behavioral and psychological variables impacting patterns of coffee drinking provides further context for these effects. The chapter explores a range of behavior change interventions designed to encourage moderate coffee use. It also covers the role that technology, customized methods, and environmental alterations might play in supporting healthier choices. The statement underscores the significance of attending to the requirements of heterogeneous populations, surmounting obstacles to behavior modification, and guaranteeing the enduring viability of intervention results. The chapter also outlines new directions in neuroscience and behavioral science research, including developments in neuroimaging methods and the application of digital health technology to the delivery of interventions. Additionally, it emphasizes how coffee use affects public health and policy, arguing in favor of evidence-based guidelines and treatments that encourage sensible coffee consumption habits and enhance population health outcomes. Ultimately, the chapter offers a thorough summary of the behavioral and psychological effects of coffee drinking, highlighting the significance of multidisciplinary studies and cooperative efforts to deepen our comprehension of this intricate phenomenon.

Norman Henry Anderson (1925-2022).

This article memorializes Norman Henry Anderson (1925-2022), best known for his information integration theory (IIT). Norman Anderson's work was influential in its time, and his legacy endures. He was the recipient of the 1972 American Association for the Advancement of Science Prize for Behavioral Science Research, and, as a tribute to his work, scholars in the field established a conference that continues to this day: the International Information Integration Theory/Functional Measurement Conference. Highlights of Anderson's career and professional contributions are noted. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Behavioural interventions designed to increase commuter cycling: A systematic review

The societal reliance on motorised transport is negatively affecting the health of humans and the environment. Active travel provides a unique solution to both issues by removing the number of motorised vehicles on the road, while also increasing physical activity rates. Interventions that encourage greater uptake of active travel are considered to be highly beneficial to society. This systematic review of the literature sought to provide evidence to answer the question which behavioural interventions increase commuter cycling? Five databases were searched to identify articles that tested a behavioural intervention to increase commuter cycling. Article parameters were defined from the literature and in consultation with the research team. Study selection, quality appraisal and data extraction were undertaken using Covidence. The final 25 articles revealed that personalised travel plans and mobile phone-based platforms were the most common interventions. Unvalidated travel surveys were the most widely used mode of data collection. Modest increases in commuter cycling were observed across studies; however, the heterogeneity of study designs and reporting of results did not allow aggregation of findings. This review highlights the need for high quality behavioural science research into active travel. This will assist us to better understand the most effective interventions that increase levels of commuter cycling, subsequently improving environmental and human health.

Students’ Use and Perceptions of a Due Date Extension Policy

Students may sometimes benefit from due date extensions due to significant extenuating circumstances. These circumstances, though, may not be supported by documentation as required by university policies. Given this, I implemented a flexible due date policy called the Pause Button (PB) in a 16-week behavioral sciences research methods course. Students could use the PB to extend two due dates up to seven days each if they did not qualify for other university-approved extensions. Twenty-three students completed a survey about their use of the PB and perceptions of its helpfulness and benefits. Overall, students perceived the PB as very helpful, improving their ability to learn and complete greater quality coursework. Moreover, they perceived that it allowed them to better manage their academic workload, personal responsibilities, and stress. One of the PB’s perceived benefits, though, was dependent upon the assessment to which it was applied. This paper also suggests concerns for instructors who are considering implementation of a PB policy. It also contains recommendations for its use.

A synthesis of evidence for policy from behavioural science during COVID-19

Scientific evidence regularly guides policy decisions1, with behavioural science increasingly part of this process2. In April 2020, an influential paper3 proposed 19 policy recommendations (‘claims’) detailing how evidence from behavioural science could contribute to efforts to reduce impacts and end the COVID-19 pandemic. Here we assess 747 pandemic-related research articles that empirically investigated those claims. We report the scale of evidence and whether evidence supports them to indicate applicability for policymaking. Two independent teams, involving 72 reviewers, found evidence for 18 of 19 claims, with both teams finding evidence supporting 16 (89%) of those 18 claims. The strongest evidence supported claims that anticipated culture, polarization and misinformation would be associated with policy effectiveness. Claims suggesting trusted leaders and positive social norms increased adherence to behavioural interventions also had strong empirical support, as did appealing to social consensus or bipartisan agreement. Targeted language in messaging yielded mixed effects and there were no effects for highlighting individual benefits or protecting others. No available evidence existed to assess any distinct differences in effects between using the terms ‘physical distancing’ and ‘social distancing’. Analysis of 463 papers containing data showed generally large samples; 418 involved human participants with a mean of 16,848 (median of 1,699). That statistical power underscored improved suitability of behavioural science research for informing policy decisions. Furthermore, by implementing a standardized approach to evidence selection and synthesis, we amplify broader implications for advancing scientific evidence in policy formulation and prioritization.

Designing a wheel-based assessment tool to measure visual aesthetic emotions

Measuring emotions in a comprehensive and meaningful way has been a constant challenge for emotion researchers in behavioral sciences. There is much debate surrounding affect and emotion conveyed in artwork as these elements are subjective higher-level semantics that are difficult to measure objectively. This paper introduces the Visual Aesthetic Wheel of Emotion (VAWE), a domain-specific device for measuring visual aesthetic emotions, which was structurally inspired by the Geneva Emotion Wheel (GEW). The development of the emotion terms used in this device were based on an extensive literature review on emotions induced by visual art and music, as well as various assessment tools. A set of emotions representing different categories were compiled and a field study was conducted to select the most appropriate terms for the wheel. VAWE contains twenty emotion terms that reflect emotional responses to a perceived aesthetic emotion from artwork stimuli. GEW’s adaptation procedure and analysis was used to determine the placement of the terms around the wheel, including a self-reporting test was developed and implemented with sixty participants. The twenty aesthetic emotion terms are organized on a wheel-like format with points on the spokes of the wheel representing the intensity users feel, along with a neutral option in the center. The device differs from instruments that require respondents to rate their feelings on a list of emotions terms as it organizes the terms to be rated on a theoretically justified two-dimensional system of valence and arousal.

Reporting and Design Considerations for SMART Behavioral Science Research

Reporting and Design Considerations for SMART Behavioral Science Research

Integrating open- and closed-ended questions on attitudes towards outgroups with different methods of text analysis.

Researchers in behavioral sciences often use closed-ended questions, forcing participants to express even complex impressions or attitudes through a set of predetermined answers. Even if this has many advantages, people's opinions can be much richer. We argue for assessing them using different methods, including open-ended questions. Manual coding of open-ended answers requires much effort, but automated tools help to analyze them more easily. In order to investigate how attitudes towards outgroups can be assessed and analyzed with different methods, we carried out two representative surveys in Poland. We asked closed- and open-ended questions about what Poland should do regarding the influx of refugees. While the attitudes measured with closed-ended questions were rather negative, those that emerged from open-ended answers were not only richer, but also more positive. Many themes that emerged in the manual coding were also identified in automated text analyses with Meaning Extraction Helper (MEH). Using Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) and Sentiment Analyzer from the Common Language Resources and Technology Infrastructure (CLARIN), we compared the difference between the studies in the emotional tone of the answers. Our research confirms the high usefulness of open-ended questions in surveys and shows how methods of textual data analysis help in understanding people's attitudes towards outgroup members. Based on our methods comparison, researchers can choose a method or combine methods in a way that best fits their needs.

Community-engaged basic science in an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center: antioxidants and chemotherapeutic efficacy.

While community engagement has been a longstanding aspect of cancer-relevant research in social and behavioral sciences, it is far less common in basic/translational/clinical research. With the National Cancer Institute's incorporation of Community Outreach and Engagement into the Cancer Center Support Grant guidelines, successful models are desirable. We report on a pilot study supported by the University of Maryland Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center (UMGCCC), that used a community-engaged, data-driven process to inform a pre-clinical study of the impact of antioxidants on the efficacy of platinum-based chemotherapeutics. We conducted a survey of UMGCCC catchment area residents (n = 120) to identify commonly used antioxidants. We then evaluated the effect of individually combining commonly used antioxidants from the survey (vitamin C, green tea, and melatonin) with platinum agents in models of non-small cell lung cancer (A549), colon adenocarcinoma (SW620) and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (FaDu). In vitro, the anti-neoplastic activity of each chemotherapy was not potentiated by any of the antioxidants. Instead, when combined at fixed ratios, most antioxidant-chemotherapy combinations were antagonistic. In vivo, addition of antioxidants did not improve chemotherapeutic efficacy and in a FaDu-tumor bearing model, cisplatin-mediated tumor growth inhibition was significantly impeded by the addition of epigallocatechin gallate, the main antioxidant in green tea. These initial findings do not support addition of antioxidant supplementation to improve platinum-based chemotherapeutic efficacy. This study's approach can serve as a model of how to bring together the two seemingly discordant areas of basic research and community engagement.