Brian Wheaton
Assistant Professor of Global Economics and Management
About
Brian Wheaton’s research encompasses political economy, cultural economics and macroeconomics. He analyzes empirical data in order to answer policy-relevant, real-world political and economic questions. Wheaton’s most recent work focuses on the effects of laws on beliefs held by the public. He modeled his study using a dynamic difference-in-differences identification strategy, and his findings indicate that virtually every major U.S. social policy law — both liberal and conservative — of the past half-century has induced significant backlash.
Topics
![Photo of Brian Wheaton](https://anderson-review.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/brian-wheaton-bio.webp)
6 Articles
![Illustration of businessman plugging ears with fingers and megaphone to the right of him,](https://anderson-review.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/AR-thumb-minds-dont-change.jpg)
Closely Held Political Beliefs Often Immune to Conflicting Information – Even From Trusted Sources
People say they’d change their minds, but they mostly don’t
![Texas state line sign next to historic Route 66 near the town of Texola, Oklahoma.](https://anderson-review.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/AR-thumb-minimum-wage-move2.png)
Do Workers Cross State Lines for Higher Minimum Wages?
States that raise rates curtail out-migration but do not attract more outsiders
![Colorful patterns on the surface of the water created by oily pollutants and stagnant water, as seen in a Texas bayou. Ripple rings also appear on the surface from aquatic life under the polluted water.](https://anderson-review.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/AR-thumb-inflation-gradual.png)
How Oil Prices Distort Our View of Inflation
A favored Federal Reserve index fails to filter out petroleum’s impact
![A Soviet Union propaganda poster for May Day in 1950 that features a man and woman.](https://anderson-review.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/AR-thumb-soviet-strength.png)
An Enemy’s Economic Success Sparked U.S. Congressional Cooperation
Bipartisan action rose amid reports of surprising Soviet Cold War economic growth
![A color photo of four catcti with a cactus blossom on the end at right.](https://anderson-review.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/AR-thumb-flat-fax.jpg)
A Simplified Tax Code and Post-Communist Growth
Study suggests flat tax systems boosted GDP in former Soviet republics and satellites
![Thousands of exuberant backers of the Equal Rights Amendment, marched on Congress to plea for extension of the ratification deadline.](https://anderson-review.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/AR-thumb-backlash.jpg)
Do Social Laws Always Cause a Backlash?
Laws that threaten ideological preferences prompt some opponents to adopt more extreme beliefs