A nudge to resume economic activity
MIT experiment finds people will respond to cues from neighbors about activities and risk preferences.
Cures for the health insurance enrollment blues
An experiment in Indonesia shows how much subsidies and in-person assistance spur people to get insurance — and how many people stop trying.
Comparing seniors who relocate long-distance shows where you live affects your longevity
Analysis of Medicare data finds location matters, not just past health behavior.
Trying to put the brakes on car ownership
Study of Beijing’s car-restriction policy underscores value of regional coordination to meet transportation and emissions goals.
A better way to introduce digital tech in the workplace
Kate Kellogg advocates for “experimentalist governance,” to find what works best for employees at all levels, then implement it widely.
3 Questions: The price of privacy in ride-sharing app performance
JTL Urban Mobility Lab researchers examine the effects of protecting user data privacy on the efficiency and service quality of ride-sharing applications.
Why social media has changed the world — and how to fix it
MIT Professor Sinan Aral’s new book, “The Hype Machine,” explores the perils and promise of social media in a time of discord.
![“If in the 1980s you asked people what would the [mobility] system look like 20 years in the future, they would say it would probably be the same,” Associate Professor Jinhua Zhao says. “Now, really nobody knows what it will it look like.”](/sites/default/files/styles/term_page__news_article/public/images/202006/MIT-Zhao-Jinhua-01.jpg?itok=8rqvpHYw)
What moves people?
Associate Professor Jinhua Zhao, who will direct the new MIT Mobility Initiative, brings behavioral science to urban transportation.
Which businesses should be open?
In light of Covid-19, an MIT study looks at tradeoffs between economic value and public health, across different types of retail.
The trouble with round numbers
Study shows people prefer monthly payments in multiples of $100, even when it may cost them money.
Meet Carolyn Stein: Researching the economics of science
MIT PhD student explores the impact of scientists being "scooped" when a competing research team publishes results first, a concern for many disciplines.
Reaching climate solutions through negotiation
At “SimPlanet” event, students test-drive new computer simulation to reveal outcomes of different policy decisions.
How “information gerrymandering” influences voters
Study analyzes how networks can distort voters’ perceptions and change election results.
Among India’s working poor, sobriety may boost savings
Economist’s study of rickshaw drivers shows effects of alcohol consumption on financial decision-making.
A behavioral economist explores poverty and development
Doctoral student Pierre-Luc Vautrey investigates how incorrect beliefs shape economic decision-making.