Articles tagged with Behavioral Economics
A recent study by the American Psychological Association found that caregivers are more likely to neglect their own health due to cost concerns. The study revealed a significant gap in healthcare access and utilization among caregivers, with 26% having no insurance coverage compared to non-caregivers.
Researchers call for standardized protocols to enhance reproducibility in behavioral science research. Economists advocate incorporating measurement uncertainty into studies, just like in natural sciences, to identify sources of errors and improve accuracy.
A new paper demonstrates that digital extension practices are adopted at rates comparable to traditional in-person extension, with significantly lower costs. The study highlights the research utility of digital extension and its potential for improvement through iteration and testing.
A new UBC study finds that many Canadians live with multiple chronic health conditions, including cardiometabolic diseases like stroke, heart disease, and diabetes. Lifestyle behaviors such as physical inactivity, poor diet, and high stress levels are associated with a higher risk of developing these conditions.
Research by Olga Miroshnichenko found that household income and spirituality are linked, with mortgagers who prioritize morality tend to repay loans before maturity. The study analyzed data from the Russian bank sector between 2008-2018, concluding that economic growth and moral values influence mortgage behavior.
Researchers found that strong relationships between regulators and firms improve monitoring quality initially, but eventually lead to negligence and collusion. The study suggests an optimal duration for relationships may exist, with mandatory auditor rotation programs potentially reducing failures in some cases.
A Cornell University study reveals that discrimination may occur faster than the blink of an eye, especially when money is scarce. Under conditions of economic scarcity, participants took significantly longer to process black faces than white faces, allocating less money to black recipients.
The study found that individuals are more likely to cheat due to their personal propensity rather than external factors. In the experiment, participants showed no significant change in cheating behavior during periods of scarcity or abundance.
Research participants who felt inadequate socioeconomic resources ate more calories and showed increased hunger hormone levels. In contrast, a daily gratitude journal reduced desired portions of food among male participants.
Researchers found that the more money in a lost wallet, the more likely it is to be returned, as dishonest finders face psychological costs that outweigh material value. In contrast, altruistic considerations play a subordinate role in returning wallets.
A global study found that people return lost wallets more often when they contain greater amounts of money, challenging classic economic logic. In 38 countries, the rate of return increased to 72% when wallets held larger sums, driven by concerns for self-image and altruism.
Researchers found that children who were inattentive in kindergarten had lower earnings in their 30s. Boys who exhibited aggressive or oppositional behavior also faced lower earnings, while prosocial boys had higher later earnings.
A study by FAU economists reveals that an individual's impulsiveness plays a significant role in determining the most effective way to allocate time between creative and routine tasks. The researchers found that impulsive individuals perform better when given the freedom to choose their own working model, while less impulsive individua...
A new study from the University of Colorado Denver estimates that education has an economic value twice as large as lifetime earnings for better health and longevity. Adults with a high school degree live longer and with less disability, worth $693,000 among men and $757,000 among women.
A new study reveals that Nobel Prize winners in economics exhibit two distinct life cycles of creativity. Conceptual innovators tend to peak in their mid-20s, while experimental innovators reach their creative peak in their mid-50s. This research suggests that the type of approach taken by an individual plays a significant role in dete...
A study published in the National Tax Journal found that allowing donors to claim charitable donations earlier, such as before tax season, increases donations by nine percent. Researchers from UBC Okanagan and other institutions used a policy experiment in Quebec to test this idea.
A new theory suggests that our relationship with the environment is like a social exchange, leading to the belief that eco-friendly behavior can cancel out harmful ones. Researchers argue that this mindset can lead to misguided quick fixes and that stricter legislation and immediate feedback on environmental impact are needed.
Researchers investigate whether equilibrium is a good assumption in economics, finding that it breaks down in complicated games. They suggest new approaches are needed to simulate human behavior in complex situations.
A new study published in The Leadership Quarterly challenges the 'glass cliff' phenomenon, which suggests women are more likely to be appointed to precarious management positions. However, the research found no evidence of a 'glass cliff', but rather a persistent 'glass ceiling' that prevents women from advancing to leadership position...
A new QUT study reveals that men with a range of personality traits, particularly extraversion and emotional stability, tend to engage in sex more frequently. These individuals are also more likely to produce offspring. For women, being agreeable is linked to having more children.
Researchers from the University of Copenhagen found that income mobility reduces life expectancy gap between rich and poor. Accounting for social mobility, the difference in life expectancy is around 2-3 years, not 5-6 years as previously thought.
A new study by Bocconi University finds that institutional investors have a positive and causal effect on firms' environmental and social (E&S) performance. These mainstream investors promote E&S issues through engagement with existing firms, rather than buying and selling shares of good or bad companies.
Numerical simulations show that providing fixed bonuses can encourage people to collaborate for the common good. Incentives like rewards for majority strategies in a group promote cooperation, making the income gap between cooperators and defectors more noticeable.
Research shows that modern couples are delaying marriage to focus on paying off student loans and saving. The study highlights how attitudes towards marriage, living together, and debt have changed over two generations, suggesting that debt is becoming a barrier to marriage.
A UC Davis researcher found that people behave similarly to others in simple reasoning games, driven by 'flocking' dynamics rather than rational thinking. The study used different games with varying levels of complexity, but all showed the same flocking behavior.
A UNIGE team discovered which brain zones are activated in anger and how the brain suppresses the act of revenge. The prefrontal dorsolateral cortex (DLPFC) plays a key role in regulating emotions, with higher activity during provocation phases leading to less punishment against unfair players.
A new study by Bocconi University scholars found that broadband internet access causes sleep deprivation, particularly among individuals with DSL lines. These individuals sleep 25 minutes less than those without DSL Internet and are less likely to reach the recommended amount of sleep, leading to significant economic losses in Germany.
A new study from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business reveals that individuals with high 'guilt-proneness' tend to be more trustworthy. This personality trait is stronger than other characteristics in predicting trustworthy behavior, according to the researchers.
A University of Kansas researcher found that helping others and building mutually beneficial relationships can boost an organization's reputation and build resources. The study analyzed studies from evolutionary biology and economics, concluding that indirect reciprocity is a key to effective cooperation.
Researchers found African Americans and Latinos had higher levels of chronic stress and unhealthy behaviors, increasing their risk for depression. However, engaging in unhealthy behaviors did not increase depression risk in African Americans but rather reduced it due to chronic stress.
A comprehensive review of scientific findings on vaccination behavior reveals that shaping patients' and parents' behavior is more effective than trying to change their minds. The report highlights the importance of leveraging favorable intentions and correcting misinformation through clear and intuitive communication.
A study found that altruist motivations and environmental knowledge significantly influence pro-environmental behavior in university students. The research suggests that educational programs adapted to the motivations of each gender are crucial for increasing effectiveness.
A new study suggests that individuals in modern democracies, including the US and Germany, show little interest in erasing wealth disparities. Only 12% of available funds are allocated to reduce inequality, with most people preferring a considerable degree of economic inequality.
A world-first study reveals that regions with psychological hardship responded to populist campaigns based on fear, contributing to the UK's Brexit vote and Donald Trump's election. The research found that neurotic personality traits, including anxiety and depression, played a significant role in shaping voting behaviour.
Researchers found that social-circle questions led to more accurate predictions for election outcomes than traditional polling methods. Social-circle questions provide information about people who aren't explicitly included in the sample and can help anticipate the processes of social influence.
A study by Dr. Patric Diriwaechter and Dr. Elena Shvartsman found that wage increases temporarily boost job satisfaction due to expectations and social comparisons, but this effect fades out within four years as individuals adapt to their new salary levels.
A longitudinal study by BYU School of Family Life professor Laura Padilla-Walker found that adolescents who exhibited prosocial behavior towards strangers had higher self-esteem a year later. This suggests that helping others can have a significant impact on a teenager's moral identity and perceptions of self.
The UMass Lowell team is developing a new electronic monitoring system, BEACON, that uses smartphones and sensor technology to promote and reward constructive behaviors among parolees. The system aims to provide positive support to help them avoid violations and recidivism.
Indiana University research finds that corporate compliance programs are often ineffective, leading to a culture of silence and widespread corruption. The study identifies eight rationalizations used by offenders to justify their actions, highlighting the need for evidence-based strategies to curb bad behavior.
The article attributes Trump's victory to a rejection of the Democratic Party by working-class voters in the Rust Belt, citing institutions like labor unions as key factors. The author argues that regional characteristics and institutions connected these voters to national politics, explaining unusual voting behavior in 2016.
A recent study published in Frontiers in Psychology found that empowered employees are more proactive even when they don't trust their leader. This is because empowering leadership increases role breadth self-efficacy, allowing subordinates to take on new tasks and exhibit proactivity.
A study by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine found that introducing a small levy of 10 pence per drink to the price of sugar-sweetened beverages sold in Jamie's Italian restaurants contributed to a significant decline in SSB sales, with a 9.3% decrease observed six months later. The study suggests that financial measures...
A new study found that cetaceans have sophisticated social and cooperative behavior traits, including complex alliance relationships, social transfer of hunting techniques, and vocal mimicry. The research suggests a link between brain size and cultural complexity in these marine mammals.
Researchers found that incorporating game design elements into activity trackers increased step counts by nearly one mile per day. The study, which involved families tracking physical activity with wearable devices or smartphone apps, showed a 27% increase in achieving daily fitness goals.
Laura Vandenberg, a leading expert on endocrine disrupting chemicals and their impact on human health, has been named one of CHE's '20 Pioneers Under 40 in Environmental Public Health'. Her groundbreaking research informs prevention-focused behaviors and policies to protect public health.
Participants showed higher levels of cooperation for provision of new public goods, with a majority exhibiting conditional cooperation. In contrast, those who never participated in maintenance or provision faced dilemmas about public goods, leading to lower willingness to cooperate.
According to research by Cornell's Food and Brand Lab director Brian Wansink, retailers can increase healthy food sales through small, low-cost in-store changes. A health predisposition pyramid suggests that different marketing interventions are more successful with various shopper groups.
A study published in Journal of Health Economics found that drinking by pregnant women is down 11 percent in states requiring point-of-sale warning signs. The benefits to heeding the warnings show up in fewer extremely premature births and very-low-birth-weight babies.
Researchers found that introducing dynamic tax/sanctions and work subsidies can help people commit to long-run goals, leading to increased employment and welfare participation rates. In contrast, focusing on short-term payoffs results in reduced earnings and government expenditure.
Researchers create a system to detect eating behaviors and emotional responses using wearable devices, aiming to reduce obesity. The M2FED approach uses sensors to measure mood and conversation, with high accuracy rates for detecting emotions such as anger, anxiety, boredom, happiness, and sadness.
A recent study found that taxi drivers in Athens charge business travelers a 7% higher fare than locals, taking advantage of the fact that passengers are reimbursed by their employers. The researchers also discovered that women were more likely to be overcharged than men.
A study by University of Kansas researcher Emily Rauscher found that children with sensitive genotypes face disadvantage in poor families but advantage in wealthier ones. This suggests that environment, not genes alone, determines economic outcomes.
Research explores how technology transfer is hindered by incomplete information, leading to 'hold-up' situations where entrepreneurs are exploited by investors. The study finds that institutional settings play a crucial role in mitigating this issue.
A study by Aarhus University found that longer deadlines increase charitable donations. The researchers sent emails and text messages with varying deadlines to approximately 53,000 Danes who had previously donated money. As a result, the donations increased when the deadline was longer.
Research by Matthew Desmond and his team reveals that eviction can lead to job loss, destabilizing economically vulnerable individuals. The study sheds light on the causes and consequences of eviction, providing valuable insights into this complex social issue.
A study published by University of Konstanz researchers found that praise from peers can motivate students to perform better, particularly those who are already high-achievers. However, this positive effect is limited for students whose grades fall just below the top threshold.
A sugary drinks tax can improve economic welfare by discouraging retailers from using value size pricing, which leads to excessive consumption of unhealthy drinks. The tax would also reduce health problems related to obesity. Policymakers should recognize the wider benefits of such a tax.
Experts at Penn Medicine propose a five-step ladder to engineer social incentives that promote health, citing the potential of spouses and friends in encouraging healthy behaviors. The approach aims to tap into existing relationships rather than increasing interactions with physicians or clinicians.
Researchers found that people feel more gratitude for experiential purchases than material ones, leading to increased generosity. Experiences trigger fewer social comparisons, fostering a greater appreciation of one's own circumstances.
A special journal issue explores solutions to chronic health problems, highlighting the importance of behavioral science in addressing health disparities. The issue features 24 scientific papers on leveraging behavioral science to promote healthy behavior change among vulnerable populations.