Articles tagged with Behavioral Economics
A field experiment in China found that people tend to increase activity when informed that others are themselves increasing activity, suggesting a low-cost intervention for promoting economic activity during the pandemic. The study suggests that social cues can be a useful signal for evaluating risks and making decisions about activities.
A new study found that older Europeans who underestimate their health are more likely to adapt their behavior in response to COVID-19 concerns. This group may face increased social isolation and feelings of loneliness as a result.
Researchers found that standard shopping carts, which activate triceps muscles, may constrain buying and result in missed sales. In contrast, alternative cart designs with parallel handles activate biceps muscles, leading to increased purchasing and spending.
Research conducted in rural and urban Chinese villages found that residents of Jincheng gave more tokens to strangers than those from Liangang, suggesting increased trust in out-group members. Effective governance was also linked to higher levels of out-group trust, contradicting concerns about urbanization eroding community bonds.
Researchers found that consumers are willing to pay a small discount for imperfect carrots, maxing out at 40% of misshapen carrots. Marketing messages promoting the nutritional quality and societal benefits of ugly produce were more effective in convincing consumers to buy.
A new study by Ohio State University found that a token donation program reduced plastic bag use by about 30% at two convenience stores on a college campus. The program, which offered customers a 5-cent token in exchange for declining a disposable bag, was effective in nudgeing shoppers away from single-use plastics.
Research in Japan found a link between financial knowledge, age, and gender, suggesting potential policy targets to improve financial health. While men had higher financial literacy, women reported more sound financial behaviors, indicating that policies may need to focus on supporting women's financial decision-making.
A new study by the University of Kent's School of Economics found that religious competition substantially increases the probability of conflict-related violence in Colombia. The presence of a new religion group makes potential contributors or soldiers more scared, leading to violent action from armed groups.
A study by University of Cologne researchers found that COVID-19 has a particularly negative impact on young people from economically disadvantaged and less educated backgrounds. They exhibit decreased prosocial behavior, including lower generosity, altruism, and cooperation, as well as reduced trust in others.
A recent study by Indiana University Kelley School of Business reveals that students who choose low-cost, low-return colleges are more likely to default on their student loans and experience a higher chance of bankruptcy after graduation. In contrast, high-cost, high-return colleges result in lower lifetime income but also fewer defaults.
A study from the University of Texas at Dallas found that governments downplay pandemic severity if they prioritize economy over public health, while exaggerating it when prioritizing public health. The researchers suggest transparent information policies are key for balanced objectives.
A recent study in Indonesia found that full subsidies increased enrollment by 18.6 percentage points, while registration assistance alone boosted signups by 3.5 percent. The experiment also highlighted the importance of infrastructure and administrative capacity in addressing the challenges of universal health insurance.
A new study suggests that women are just as competitive as men in competitions, and that their reluctance to take risks is not the cause of the gender wage gap. Researchers found that when given the option to share winnings with losers, women were more likely to compete and excel.
A 51-country survey reveals that people who feel invincible to COVID-19 are less likely to get vaccinated and believe in the importance of individual actions. The study suggests that messaging emphasizing collective action is crucial in individualistic cultures.
A new approach to measuring financial and digital literacy is proposed by a team of researchers led by Angela Lyons. The study finds that while promoting literacy is important, it may not be enough to ensure resilience, particularly for vulnerable groups such as women and those living in poverty.
A study published in the Atlantic Journal of Communication analyzed Instagram posts from 20 celebrity influencers about COVID-19 between March and May 2020. The researchers found that celebrities initially modeled guidance from health experts, normalizing suggested behaviors such as staying home and practicing hand hygiene.
A new study found that most people maintain their pre-retirement level of social support after retirement, with women and those with high social support experiencing an improvement in mental wellbeing. The research also shows an increase in life satisfaction for couples where either the man or woman retired.
Researchers propose targeted interventions to contain outbreaks in cities like Hong Kong, minimizing economic and social costs. By controlling a small percentage of grids, the virus can be largely contained, offering a balance between risk reduction and human mobility.
Assistant Professor Kang Hao Cheong and his team discovered that chaotic switching for quantum coin Parrondo's games has similar underlying ideas to encryption. They found that using pre-generated chaotic sequences enhances the work, making it easier to invert the encrypted message to obtain the original state.
A new study aggregates evidence from experiments on performance incentives globally, finding that men and women respond similarly to rewards for achieving performance objectives. The study suggests that performance pay boosts productivity for both genders across various contexts and program designs.
Researchers found that emotional expressions of anger in negative reviews influence consumer attitudes and choices, counterintuitively increasing the negative impact. Online retailers and review platforms should take angry reviews seriously and address them promptly to mitigate their effects.
A study by University of Georgia researchers found that BlackRock's 'Dear CEO' letters have a significant effect on portfolio firms, influencing their language in financial disclosures. The research suggests that institutional investors are impacting corporate decisions through broad-based public engagement.
A Seattle ordinance requiring more notice in scheduling for hourly workers resulted in improved worker well-being, sleep quality, and economic security. Researchers found that predictable shifts led to measurable changes in workers' schedules and positive effects on happiness, sleep quality, and material hardship.
A study by University of Cologne economists found that social distancing measures reduced people's mobility by 30% and prevented over 80% of COVID-19 infections and 60% of deaths in Germany within the first three weeks, saving an estimated 500,000 infections and 5,400 deaths
Researchers found that a low opening offer can be effective if it's within a 'fair game' window, avoiding negative emotions, but not so low that it backfires. A balance must be struck to achieve a better outcome in negotiations.
A new study analyzes how micro (income) and macro (business cycle) conditions influence grocery shopping behavior, finding that households adjust their spending without changing budget constraints. Micro conditions primarily affect basket value, while macro conditions impact both basket value and allocation to store formats.
A study of over 2,000 European retirees found that internet usage after retirement is associated with better cognitive scores. Specifically, female retirees who regularly surfed the internet recalled more words on a word recall test compared to their non-internet-using counterparts.
A study by University of Texas at Dallas researcher Dr. Sheen S. Levine found that white Americans are prone to making poor decisions when they ignore their Black peers. When given the opportunity to witness Black peers' accomplishments, however, the racial attention deficit subsides, suggesting a remedy for diversity efforts.
An Australian study found that trust in government approval of safe COVID-19 vaccines is the primary driver of vaccine uptake. Perceived effectiveness in protecting others was also a significant factor. The study revealed lower rates of vaccine uptake among younger, unemployed individuals and those with lower altruistic beliefs.
A study by researchers at Mainz University found that digital presence of service employees improves customer loyalty. The study, published in the Journal of Marketing Research, showed that customers perceive websites with images or videos of service employees as more attractive and memorable, leading to increased customer loyalty.
A new five-year research project led by Thomas Neeson aims to model the impacts of conservation incentives on farmers in the Red River basin. The study will help understand how voluntary, incentive-based conservation programs can be effectively designed to promote sustainable water use.
Researchers found that seniors moving from low-mortality areas to high-mortality areas experience a significant decrease in life expectancy. On the other hand, urban areas on the East and West Coasts have positive effects on longevity for seniors, while Midwestern metro areas score well. The study also identified parts of the deep Sout...
A new study from the University of California Firearm Violence Research Center shows that physical disorder in Detroit doesn't lead to a steep increase in violent crime. The study's findings suggest that community-driven efforts to rebuild and remake rundown neighborhoods can be effective in reducing disorder and fear.
New research published in PNAS suggests that community-based monitoring can improve water management in rural Costa Rica by reducing groundwater extraction and improving water quality. The program, which used a smartphone application and WhatsApp, showed modest but significant effects after one year.
Researchers found that taxi drivers who smoked cigarettes were more likely to cheat riders after the federal excise tax on cigarettes was raised. This spillover effect occurs when targeted individuals defraud others due to perceived unfairness and reduced buying power.
A study by Washington State University found that Gen Z adults are open to apparel rental services as a way to reduce waste and extend clothing lifespan. Key factors contributing to this trend include the perceived effectiveness of making a difference and a focus on usage over ownership.
Consumers are seeking products with local origin, traditional designs, and reminders of their childhood and family. Groundedness increases product attractiveness and consumers' willingness to pay. Products providing a sense of groundedness improve self-perceptions related to resilience and feelings of strength and stability.
Research by City University London's Business School reveals that fund managers who start their careers in difficult economic conditions perform better over the long-term. They exhibit better market timing and tilt their investments towards defensive industries during tough times.
A recent study modelled social, economic, and personal factors influencing voters and parties to identify four key levers that tip the balance towards political extremes. Social contagion and macro-economic factors such as employment and economic growth play a significant role in driving polarization.
A computer simulation modelled by Associate Professor David Goldbaum suggests a leader emerges through a dynamic self-reinforcing social process, even with identical attributes among group members. The study finds that building up influence and gaining popularity is key to becoming a leader.
The article synthesizes lessons from primary care and behavioral health integration to inform organizing principles for advancing social care integration practices. This approach aims to improve the health of patients and communities by identifying and addressing their social and economic needs.
Researchers found that distrust in science, liberal media sources, and negative economic impacts led to fewer precautionary measures among socially conservative Republicans and independents. In contrast, Democrats who trusted scientific authorities and moderate journalists took greater COVID-19 safety measures.
A new study suggests that mandating COVID-19 vaccination could decrease voluntary compliance by reducing people's desire to be vaccinated, particularly among those with low trust in public institutions. The research found increased opposition when participants were asked about legally required vaccinations, despite higher support for v...
A study in Wisconsin found that wolf introduction reduced deer-vehicle collisions by 24%, with an economic benefit of 63 times the harm caused by livestock predation. The study suggests that wolves' impact on prey behavior is a key factor in collision reduction.
Researchers found that more traditional perceptions of gender roles are associated with lower employment rates and lower personal income for women. The study suggests that changing cultural norms through education and publicity is necessary to address employment inequality in China.
Research shows that between 60-70% of attention on social media platforms is focused on just 10 popular domains, while new competitors struggle to survive. The study's findings indicate a decline in online diversity and a potential for artificially high prices and constraints on innovation.
A study found that ticket inspections can lead to an increase in perceived dishonesty among passengers, causing them to claim ownership of lost money. This study suggests that more discreet and targeted inspections may be a more effective way to encourage honesty.
New research finds machine learning improves click-through rates by 66.8% over simpler targeting models, with behavioral data offering more accurate targeting in mobile ads. Ad networks may have economic incentives to limit granular behavioral targeting, potentially leading to self-regulation and consumer privacy protection.
Researchers found that small-scale fisheries employ diverse approaches to adapt to climate change, emphasizing flexibility and knowledge. The study highlights the importance of community-level responses and non-asset-based adaptive mechanisms.
Researchers propose an alternating lockdown strategy to combat COVID-19, which involves partitioning the population into two groups and alternating their activities weekly. This approach isolates invisible spreaders, such as pre-symptomatic carriers, reducing viral spread and helping flatten the curve.
The Stanford model describes a complex interplay between individual incentives and government policies in response to epidemics. It predicts waves of infection surges, reactionary social change, and perpetual cycling if short-term thinking is not considered in epidemic response.
Researchers studied gift-giving dynamics in multi-giver settings and found recipients prioritize thoughtfulness over relative gift value. Gift givers incorrectly assume the recipient's focus is on comparative gift value, leading to unnecessary spending or skipping gift-giving occasions.
Researchers found that people with higher incomes were more likely to adopt self-protective behaviors such as social distancing and mask wearing. In contrast, lower-income individuals faced increased challenges in adopting these behaviors due to job losses, limited access to remote work, and living in homes without outdoor spaces.
Recent surveys indicate a fluctuating willingness to be vaccinated, with 60% willing and 51% unwilling; experts propose 12 strategies, including analogy and explanation, to boost vaccine uptake and achieve 100% follow-through.
A study by the University of Konstanz found that voluntary motivation to comply with anti-COVID-19 policies is relatively high in Germany, but can be crowded out by enforcement. Measures like limiting contacts and vaccinations showed higher agreement when implemented voluntarily, while wearing masks and travel restrictions had the same...
Researchers found that messages focusing on reducing poverty and lower-class disadvantages lead to increased engagement and support. Framing economic inequality as an issue of unjust disadvantage for the lower class can heighten perceptions of injustice and enhance action to reduce inequality.
A new model suggests that biased evaluations can be useful for motivating employees, particularly those with high career concerns. The ideal evaluator should be stricter on capable employees but more lenient on less capable ones. This approach can be applied to various scenarios, such as organizing internships.
Researchers find that platform protection insurance increases product orders and variety-seeking behavior among buyers, while boosting customer retention and acquisition for sellers. The study also reveals that PPI acts as a reputable quality signal to reduce transaction uncertainty and purchase risks on the sharing platform.
Christina Felfe has won a prestigious ERC consolidator grant to investigate the role of parents, classmates, and socialization processes on the formation of group preferences. Her five-year project aims to measure children's group belonging and behavior towards their own and other groups.
A new USC study finds that the COVID-19 pandemic could result in net losses of $3.2 trillion and up to $4.8 trillion in U.S. Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) over two years. The study's findings depend on factors such as business closures, gradual reopening processes, infection rates, and fatalities.