Topic: Behavioral Economics

Empty western town with a tumble weed rolling across the main street Research Brief / Social Capital

Populism Blossoms Where Community Connectedness Is Lower

Gauging Trump’s appeal by estimating an area’s social capital

A man using a laptop on his kitchen table Research Brief / Investing

Puncturing the Small-Investors-are-Bad-Investors Narrative

Individuals using the Robinhood trading app appear to beat the market

Foreign pharmacy Research Brief / Retail

Quality and Price: National Pharmacy Chains Benefit Consumers in India

Independent drug stores improve to meet the competition

Students walking on campus Research Brief / Education

Quirk of the ACT Test — Rounding to a Whole Number — Offers Rare Isolated Glimpse of the Value of Scores

Tracking the impact of a small test-score difference on college attendance and later life

Doctor reading through paperwork Feature / Nudges

Replicating a Successful Nudge in Health Care: Advice for Skeptics

How it often goes wrong and key observations for effective strategies

Broken piggy bank full of coins Feature / Retirement

Save, Save, Save, but Then What? Financial Structure and Spending in Retirement

Innumerable nudges help savings accumulation; now researchers turn to decumulation

An individual sits with their head resting on their hand while they look at their computer Research Brief / E-commerce

Search Fatigue: Online Shoppers Grow Weary, Take a Break

A shopping session may unfold over a period of weeks, not minutes 

Aerial view of Chicago from the south. Research Brief / Wealth Inequality

Segregation Compounds the Effects of Poverty

In Northern cities, railroad tracks that defined Black neighborhoods remain boundaries against economic mobility

Marijuana dispensary Feature / Taxes

Setting the Tax Rate on Legal Marijuana: Consumption, State Revenue and the Black Market

Taxes not high enough? An examination of Washington’s experience even suggests state ownership of pot stores might boost the public coffers

Illustration of eyes looking at a computer screen Research Brief / Taxes

Shaming of Tax Delinquents Works

34,334 letters were sent to test how sensitive those owing back taxes are to neighbors’ knowledge of the debts

An overhead view of a herd heading toward water Research Brief / Cultural History

Societies With a Legacy of Herding: More Prone to Current Day Violence

A culture that valorized revenge among pre-industrial herders resonates today

Banner for Some Homeowners Put Off Sale When Told of Likely Rise in Market Feature / Economics

Some Homeowners Put Off Sale When Told of Likely Rise in Market

Investors who don’t occupy a home are likelier to delay for top dollar

Grogu and The Mandalorian in a still from the Disney+ show. Research Brief / Economics

Streaming Platforms’ Exclusive Grip on Shows Is One of Modern Life’s Great Annoyances, But Things Could Be Worse

Absent these deals, smaller studios and streamers would suffer, TV might be less entertaining — and costlier

YouTube on a tablet computer Research Brief / Consumer Behavior

Taking the Battle for Financial Literacy to Where the Eyeballs Are

Research by Bruce Carlin and Stephen Spiller suggests YouTube videos could help consumers make better money decisions

Detail of a 19-century painting depicting the Battle of Kulikovo (1380 CE). Research Brief / Cultural History

Testing 17 Theories on the Development of Complex Civilizations

Large-scale data project produces stark conclusion: military technology + agricultural productivity caused the takeoff

Person looking at a computer screen Research Brief / E-commerce

That Online Hotel Review You Wrote? It Matters

Consumers’ comments on TripAdvisor are substitutes for traditional ad spending