Topic: Behavioral Economics

Illustration of a man looking at a carrot while a magnet opens his head Research Brief / Nudges

Behavioral Economics: Are Nudges Cost-Effective?

A team of experts makes the financial case that governments should spend more on nudging

Illustration of a house, cap, rings, car keys, baby crib Feature / Nudges

Behavioral Nudges Timed to Certain Days are Effective Motivator

Dates of milestones — major and minor — can spur us to action

Illustration of a man weighing two balances Research Brief / Retirement Planning

Behind the Annuity Conundrum: The Belief They’re Unfair

Researchers find little commonality among haters of the difficult-to-sell retirement products, except when discussing fairness

Illustration of two men with one crossing his fingers behind his back Research Brief / Behavioral Decision Making

Being Biased against Friends to Appear Unbiased

If the boss is your friend, and compensation decisions are public, a bonus you’d get on merit might not be forthcoming

Inverted image of a calculator Research Brief / Taxes

Boo! Does Merely Mentioning an Audit Increase Taxpayer Compliance?

Research undermines the notion that companies coldly calculate tax avoidance

Reflection in the mirror of man brushing his teeth Research Brief / Consumer Behavior

Boring Tasks We Abandon Too Soon: a Method to Finish the Job

Pairing the mundane — hand washing, teeth brushing — with more engaging activities

Illustration of office buildings with a silhouette of a figure holding their arms out Research Brief / Taxes

Businesses Vastly Overestimate the Likelihood of Being Audited

Should tax-collecting agencies keep audit activity secret to discourage cheating?

Illustration of hands raised in blue, with one hand colored red Feature / Politics

Campaign Contributions Swayed by Neighbors’ Politics

A field experiment using public donation data indicates peer pressure matters

A nighttime blurry image of a woman and a man walking into a store. Research Brief / Economics

CEOs Risk Alienating Customers with High-Profile Activism

Taking a stand on controversial issues can hurt sales, but the effect is brief

Employees socializing with each other Feature / Workplace

Co-Worker Schmoozing Rises as Salaries are Thought of as Hourly Pay

Putting a value on networking becomes implicit

A color image of a genome. Research Brief / Behavioral Economics

College Completion and Your Genome (Don’t Get Too Excited)

It’s still early days in genetic research, though advances will aid study of educational attainment and, notably, disease

Two workers in protective gear conducting drive-up COVID-19 testing Research Brief / COVID-19

Comprehensive COVID-19 Screening Would Pay for Itself Many Times Over

Reliable, widespread testing regimen could help jump-start economy

Illustration of many people with signs protesting. Research Brief / Behavioral Economics

Consumer Backlash to CEO Advocacy: Signaling or Act of Conscience?

An experiment seeks to isolate motivation and raises concerns for outspoken corporate leaders

Overview of a downtown city scape Research Brief / Unemployment

Consumer Spending and Jobless Data: a Peculiar Threshold

A 12-month high in local unemployment triggers savings behavior

City landscape at dusk Research Brief / Housing

Could Costly Housing Bring Down Superstar Cities?

Stuart Gabriel’s research shows how a vibrant economic hub loses essential residents

People in line outside the Bank of China Research Brief / Cultural History

Culture Affects How People Save Money

Immigrants show saving tendencies that carry through several generations