Impact University: Behavioral Economics/Psychology

Behavioral Psychology

Does ‘Wrong Mind-Set’ Cause Poverty or Vice Versa? >

Badger, Emily. (2017-05-30, The New York Times): The HUD secretary Ben Carson said that the "wrong mind-set" leads to poverty. But research suggests cause and effect go the opposite way.

Behavioral Economics/Psychology

Having Less, Giving More: The influence of social class on prosocial behavior >

Piff, PK.; Kraus, MW.; Côté, S.; Cheng, BH.; & Keltner, D. (2010-11, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology): "Lower social class (or socioeconomic status) is associated with fewer resources, greater exposure to threat, and a reduced sense of personal control. Given these life circumstances, one might expect lower class individuals to engage in less prosocial behavior, prioritizing self-interest over the welfare of others. The authors hypothesized, by contrast, that lower class individuals orient to the welfare of others as a means to adapt to their more hostile environments and that this orientation gives rise to greater prosocial behavior."

Behavioral Economics/Psychology

Higher Social Class Predicts Increased Unethical Behavior >

Piff, P.; Stancato, D.; Cote, S.; Mendoza-Denton, R.; & Keltner, D. (2012-03-13, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences): "Seven studies using experimental and naturalistic methods reveal that upper-class individuals behave more unethically than lowerclass individuals."

David Bornstein

Rekindling Human Contact in the Digital Age >

Bornstein, D. (2015-05-08, The New York Times): "The emerging research about social isolation is sobering. Among people young and old in the United States and Britain, researchers are finding significant increases in loneliness."

Behavioral Economics/Psychology

Are You Successful? If So, You’ve Already Won the Lottery >

Frank, R. (2016-05-20, The New York Times): People tend to underestimate the role sheer luck plays in guiding our career trajectories and recognizing this can have implications for public policy.

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