Check out a very nice article in The New Yorker on geographic variations in utilization and spend — and how those variations are not associated with improvements in outcomes. Policymakers have worried that [controlling...
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The New York Times gives us an early peek at a soon-to-be-published paper in which researchers report that reminding people about opportunity costs (i.e., other things you could do with money not spent on an option you’re...
Another day, more behavioral economics in The New York Times. This one concerns Facebook’s approach to privacy, including the recent hiccup that occurred when FB attempted to change its terms-of-service agreement. But the...
More colleges are doing away with cafeteria trays, often for aesthetic reasons, but there’s also a wealth of behavioral economics benefits: eat less, weigh less, waste less food, and conserve water. More at The New...
I’ve had a longstanding hunch that there is a deep connection between behavioral economics and design. I was reminded of this possible overlap this afternoon as I was scanning John Sviokla’s blog, and noticed he has a...
Douglas Bowman recently announced he was leaving Google after three years as visual design lead. According to Bowman, the reason was Google’s relentless drive for evidence-based design, which collided with his drive for...
What does it take to end conspicuous consumption? Conspicuous thrift, of course. A recent article in The New York Times suggests that pinching pennies is chic. This is a great example of the power of social norms… and the...
As reported in the Imperial Valley News (out in California), the new administration is keen on applying behavioral economics and is targeting a chunk of the stimulus package in that direction. Key quote: Adding a perspective on...
Right there on page 37 of the President’s Fiscal Year 2010 Budget: The President’s 2010 Budget lays the groundwork for the future establishment of a system of automatic workplace pensions, on top of and clearly outside...
The New York Times has an interesting interactive map showing unemployment rates by county for the entire United States, using December 2008 data. Although the rates vary dramatically — Imperial County, California comes...
