Topic: Behavioral Economics
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
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
Using Ancestral Characteristics to Study Modern Economics
A database of pre-industrial sampling supports historical and ethnographic research
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
To Wall Street, There’s No Crisis Like a Banking Crisis
Tyler Muir finds that neither war nor deep recession darkens investor sentiment like sudden turmoil in the financial system
An Aerial, as Opposed to Ground-Level, View of Time
A novel framework proposes to reduce angst over schedules and lives
When Ebola Strikes, Where Should Help Go?
Improving epidemic forecasting helps response teams target aid more effectively
A Shocking Tale of Sovereign Default and Private Contracts Nullified
Sebastian Edwards brings to life a widely forgotten chapter of U.S. history starring FDR, his no-name economist and the demise of the gold standard
How the Seemingly Rapid Advance of Democracy Goes Astray
Using voting records from a unique transition in the 19th-century Caribbean, Christian Dippel examines the embrace of self-interest by new legislators
Behavioral Nudges Timed to Certain Days are Effective Motivator
Dates of milestones — major and minor — can spur us to action
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
How to Harness Individual Outrage for Lasting Social Change
A practical guide to enlisting, mobilizing and continually engaging like-minded people
Behavioral Economics: Are Nudges Cost-Effective?
A team of experts makes the financial case that governments should spend more on nudging
Campaign Contributions Swayed by Neighbors’ Politics
A field experiment using public donation data indicates peer pressure matters