Content Type: Research Brief
Awards as Incentives: Sometimes They Backfire
Seeking to improve school attendance, researchers learn how some students think
What’s in Your Social Media Feed?
On anime sites, what one’s friends are watching is the most persuasive prompt to engage
You’ll Be Interrupted — Why Not Plan for It?
A team of researchers weighs contingent planning against traditional time management
#MeToo: Company Responses to Harassment Claims Can Mitigate Reputation Damage
New research looks beyond attitudes toward specific executives accused of harassment to focus on people’s perceptions of corporatewide gender culture.
Exploring the Relationship between Off-Label Prescriptions and Clinical Trials
A study looks at how changes in FDA labeling affect pediatric utilization of drugs
In a Global Church, Even a Widely Publicized Scandal’s Impact is Decidedly Local
Revisiting research on Catholic clergy sex abuse: Pennsylvania can expect fewer churchgoers and a painful decline in charitable contributions
It’s OK if the Boss Earns More, but a Problem When Co-Workers Do
Study of a large corporation explores how salary comparisons affect employee behavior
Motivating Households in India to Reduce Energy Consumption
The same message that works with U.S. households is effective in the developing world
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
Why Kickstarter Funders Quickly Kick in the Last 5 Percent
Research shows that people have a sincere desire to see projects take flight
Ignorance — About One’s Investments, Anyway — Isn’t Always Bliss
Valentin Haddad’s research looks at the phenomenon of “information aversion,” when individual investors stop tracking their portfolios for fear of bad news
Could Costly Housing Bring Down Superstar Cities?
Stuart Gabriel’s research shows how a vibrant economic hub loses essential residents
Attracting Early Adopters: Best Way to Overcome Consumer Resistance to Innovative Products
Chris Tang’s research suggests a two-step pricing strategy can maximize sales and profits
Quantitative Easing Kept the Foreclosure Crisis from Being Even Worse
The Fed’s gambit didn’t trigger a home-price recovery, but research shows it reduced subprime foreclosure risk
How Life Insurers Insulate the Markets from Turmoil
Valentin Haddad’s research finds that insurers’ patient investing shields risky assets — and those who hold them — from steeper declines
When It Pays Not to Help Your Customers Comparison Shop
Rakesh Sarin creates a model that shows consumer “ambiguity” about product quality should drive marketing and brand management strategy