How to Lock Down an Open Society
In order for governments to promote public health effectively, they must ensure their citizens abide by public health orders, without turning their open societies into police states.
Commentary
Behavioral Public Policy Faces a Crisis
Our field wasn’t ready for a pandemic. We must learn its lessons before the next emergency.
Responding to COVID-19 in the Developing World
Advice that can seem grounded in “universal” human tendencies often isn’t. The actions that developing countries take will have to be carefully tailored to their specific circumstances.
To Achieve Sustainability, We Need to Go Upstream in the Design Process
Behavioral scientists have a crucial role to play in the world’s quest for environmental sustainability. But to realize the potential of our work, we need to work with designers not just end users.
Epistemic Humility—Knowing Your Limits in a Pandemic
“Ignorance,” wrote Charles Darwin in 1871, “more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge.”
Loose Lips: The Psychology of Rumor During Crisis
Why do rumors proliferate in times of crisis? A look back at rumor control during WWII might provide lessons for what we do today.