Topic: Consumer Behavior

Illustration of a woman holding both of her hands to her face
Research Brief / Marketing

Did You Forget, or Never Know? How It Impacts Purchasing

A different decision tree is used when product information is forgotten, rather than just unknown

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

Illustration of a consumer shopping for a car
Research Brief / Consumer Behavior

Consumers Habitually Seek the Middle Ground

Unpublished research shows avoiding the extremes is a common approach marketers need to address

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

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

A list of CD interest rates
Research Brief / Banking

CD Withdrawal Penalties: Often More Than Worth the Risk

Banks know you won’t do the math: Even after a penalty for early withdrawal, the longer-term CD often nets out to a better deal

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 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 in front of a computer covering his face while stressed
Research Brief / Health Care

Behavioral Economics Could Increase Obamacare Enrollment and Stabilize Markets

Greater subsidies aren’t enough: Lowering the complexity of enrollment is needed to bring more and healthier people into the market

Search results of three different types of pink slippers
Research Brief / Consumer Behavior

As Few as Three Options Can Be Too Many for Online Shoppers 

A large field experiment suggests two items is the sweet spot for converting motivated lookers into buyers

City street under construction in Dubai
Research Brief / Nudges

Are You Nudging Me? Oh, OK, Go Ahead

Research shows individuals aren’t necessarily turned off when they know they are being coaxed toward a specific choice

Illustration of US dollars stacked
Feature / Retirement Planning

Are Americans Really Annuity-Averse? Clear Thinking on Retirement Income

A monthly check, not just a pile of cash: Studies demystify the instruments too few are using

Illustration of people as wind-up toys
Research Brief / Retirement

Americans Sacrifice $3.4 Trillion by Claiming Social Security Too Soon

Can nudges, tailored to personality traits, persuade retirees to wait?

Hero image of a bar graph with excitedness decreasing with age as peaceful happiness increases
Research Brief / Happiness

Age-Old Question: What Makes You Happy?

We define happiness differently as we age

Three images of man's profile
Feature / Behavioral Decision Making

Advancing the Study of Using Future-Self Images to Alter Behavior

Successful projects suggest a more thorough cataloging of how “vividness” nudges can help us delay gratification

Two columns of three different menu price plans for internet services.
Research Brief / Nudges

A Common Marketing Nudge Can Foster Consumer Distrust

Placing an inferior ‘decoy’ option in a menu of choices can trigger people to take their business elsewhere