Area: Behavioral Decision Making
Motivation to Begin or an Excuse to Slack Off?
Fresh-start dates can serve as either — it’s a two-way nudge
New Study Disavows Marshmallow Test’s Predictive Powers
Test’s originator was a central co-author but died before its completion
News from Venus and Mars: Genders Communicate Similarly atop Organizations
Analysis of 15 years of Wikipedia editors’ chatter reveals women of rank don’t shrink from controversial topics
Not All Second Chances Are Good Ones
Hengchen Dai finds that hitting the reset button can help those who have recently struggled, but erodes the motivation and execution of top performers
Nudging Teachers, in a Large Field Study, Marginally Boosted Student Math Performance
Fifteen nudges tried out across 140,000 teachers and some 3 million students
Online Reviews Sway Experiential Purchases Less Than Those of Material Products
Reviews that explicitly talk about objective quality assessments are well received
Our Envy of Prospective Events Is Greater Than of Those Past
That’s helpful information in a social media world filled with friends who do enviable things
Overcoming Obstacles to Taking Better Care of Your Future Self
Hal Hershfield’s book offers research-backed methods to build a healthier, happier, more financially secure life
Oversight of Borrowed Money Creates Animosity
Friends lending to friends, taxpayers bailing out businesses feel it’s still their money and have opinions on how it’s spent
People Prioritize Shared Experiences, Even When Apart
People will endure inconvenience to synchronize events, regardless of proximity
Replicating a Successful Nudge in Health Care: Advice for Skeptics
How it often goes wrong and key observations for effective strategies
Retailing Cross-Platform Win: A Pop-Up Store Boosts Online Sales
Alibaba finds a fresh twist on an old-school store is an effective marketing tool
Save, Save, Save, but Then What? Financial Structure and Spending in Retirement
Innumerable nudges help savings accumulation; now researchers turn to decumulation
Schooling Alongside Minorities Reduces White Students’ Tendency to Vote Republican
One system’s end to busing offers data on integration’s impact on future partisanship
Sensitivity to Debt Type Predicts Financial Health
Research reveals that those wary of payday loans tend to manage their finances better
Smartphone Records Reveal Racial Disparities in Neighborhood Policing
Police patrol Black areas more frequently than others with similar homicide rates and income levels