Mad at Nate Silver About Election 2016? Why Behavioral Economics Suggests You Shouldn’t Be
The aftermath of Donald Trump’s election has led some to cast aspersions on analysts like Nate Silver, who made predictions about the election’s outcome.
Government
Why Don’t People Take Free Cash?
Two economists are walking down the street. One sees a $20 bill lying on the sidewalk and says, “Look at that $20 bill!” The second economist responds, “Nah, that’s not a $20 bill. If it was, someone would have picked it up already.”
How Can Governments and Businesses Avoid the ‘Big Mistake?’
He talked about how often policymakers, in his opinion, not only missed the power of social norms and influence, they often inadvertently used them in a way that actually backfired.
The Behavioral Insights Team 5 Years On: A Conversation with Owain Service
Today, nearly 200 randomized control trials later and with their findings permeating virtually all areas of public policy, the creation of the BIT and the wedding of behavioral science and public policy might seem like forgone conclusions.
The High Cost of Not Doing Experiments
We can pay dearly, in blood, treasure, and well-being, for experiments that aren’t done. In the nearly fifty years that Head Start has been in existence, we have spent $200 billion on it.
Executive Order Formally Establishes US ‘Nudge Unit’
On Tuesday President Barack Obama issued an executive order formally establishing the White House Social and Behavioral Sciences Team while also directing federal agencies to examine how they can use behavioral science to improve outcomes for citizens across the United States.