Behavioral Economics

How the Coronavirus Pandemic Fueled Ransomware Attacks

Speaking at a cybersecurity summit, federal law enforcement officials said hackers have exploited the public health crisis to launch new attacks.

Why Everything Is Sold Out

The pandemic broke online shopping.

A New Era of Coronavirus Testing Is About to Begin

A newly authorized test promises to double America’s monthly testing capacity, thanks in part to a huge purchase by the Trump administration. Can the test deliver?

How Capitalism Broke Young Adulthood

COMMENTARY | Boomers have socialism. Why not Millennials?

Are McMansions Making Everyone Unhappy?

Homes have gotten bigger, but Americans aren’t any more pleased with the extra space.

Forget Lower Jobs Growth, Focus on the Number of People Who’ve Stopped Looking for Work

COMMENTARY | An economist explains why the long-term drop in the participate rate is an even bigger problem for the U.S. economy than the May slowdown in jobs growth.

States Are Allowing Bank Accounts to Link Savings to Prizes. Customers Aren't Biting.

The idea is to encourage people to build up their savings by enrolling them in lotteries to win prizes. But that hasn't necessarily drawn people to sign up.

The Persistent Economic Advantage of America’s Suburbs

A new study finds that suburban neighborhoods outperform urban ones across the board.

What Iowa Can Tell Us About Full Employment

Want to know where the economy is headed? Look at Des Moines.

Nobel for Behavioral Science Holds Lessons for Local Governments

Why behavioral science is “changing the way cities around the country design their policies, services, and the moments of choice within them.”

Bringing Behavioral Insights to Municipal Operations

The Behavioural Insights Team, a company once part of the British government, has its sights set on improving jurisdictional service delivery across the pond.

How a Simple Sticker Can Nudge Residents Into Compliance

“People generally have limited attention, which means that we fail to consider small details.”