Area: Economics
How People Gather Information — or Don’t — to Make Decisions
Personal beliefs, especially among the less educated, often outweigh actual data
How Local Governance Came to England’s Economy
Nico Voigtländer found that to combat arbitrary taxes and corruption, merchants persuaded the king to cede control
How Far Would You Go for an Ivy League Kid?
Study finds interest in screening embryos for education propensity, especially if everyone else is doing it
How Dollar Stores Contribute to Food Deserts
Expanding chains drive out independent grocers, reduce access to fresh produce
How Companies in Big Cities Out-Export Those in Smaller Ones
Measure of export intensity raises questions about trade policy and housing restrictions
How Clinton and Trump Voters Behave in — and Spread — a Pandemic
Estimates are based on smartphone data and precinct-level 2016 vote results
How Bond and Stock Prices Combine to Influence Corporate Investment
Equity volatility can encourage — or dampen — investment, depending on a firm’s bond spread
Household Energy Conservation: Appeal to Cost Savings or Environmental and Health Impacts?
Money-saving messages lose impact over time, while worry about dangerous pollution helps consumers show discipline
Hospital Financial-Aid Programs Boost Use of Vital Health Care
Uninsured and insured both receive help; benefits are temporary
Historical Case for Immigrants Sending Home More Than Money
France’s lower fertility rates spread to regions that sent the most emigrants to live there
Government Coverage of Payrolls Could Cost Less than Jobless Benefits
Analysis also suggests a more rapid economic recovery by keeping workers and employers allied
German Rebels Who Helped Lincoln Win the Civil War: A Natural Experiment in Leadership
Leaders of a failed 1848 revolt are followed to towns across the U.S.
Gender Gaps in School Performance
Socioeconomic factors magnify the boy-girl divide and can explain cross-race differences
Entering the Job Market in Recession: The Prognosis Worsens
New research suggests increased risk of illness and death in middle age, on top of longer-lasting income penalty
Employees Work at Multiple Nursing Homes and Spread COVID-19
Smartphone GPS tracks staffers between facilities
Economic and Ideological Predictors of the Unique U.S. COVID-19 Failure
Examining local-level plans and behavior to uncover drivers of failed compliance with expert advice