Behavioral
A Simple Thumbs Up or Down Eliminates Racial Bias in Online Ratings
Yale SOM’s Tristan Botelho and his co-authors found that the ubiquitous five-star rating system could subtly propagate discrimination. But they also found a surprisingly simple fix: switching to a two-point scale (thumbs up or thumbs down) eliminated subtle racial bias in customer ratings of gig workers.
Could Be Worse: When You See Others Losing More, You’re More Likely to Take Risks
What induces people to take greater risks in certain situations—such as sitting at the blackjack table in a glitzy casino? A new study from Yale SOM’s Nathan Novemsky and Guy Voiche reveals that we experience losses as less painful when we see examples of bigger losses.
Now It’s Personal: How Knowing an Ad Is Targeted Changes Its Impact
A consumer’s knowledge that an advertisement has been tailored to their interests changes how they respond, according to a new study co-authored by Yale SOM’s Jiwoong Shin. Firms evaluating marketing strategies should factor consumers’ inferences about targeted ads into their advertising decisions, Shin says.
What Separates the Ideas that Endure from Those That Fade?
For a study of the evolution of management concepts, Prof. Balázs Kovács and his co-author tracked keywords in 90 years of Harvard Business Review articles. Their conclusion: concepts get an initial boost from being similar to popular ideas, but need to distinguish themselves to last.
A Key Factor in Well-Being: Others’ Apparent Wealth
Money may not lead to happiness, but according to a new study co-authored by Yale SOM’s Michael Kraus, our perceived wealth and status relative to others does affect how happy we are.
Advice for a Better 2021—According to the Research
We asked faculty with expertise in psychology, entrepreneurship, healthcare, economics, and more for their best ideas to bring the lessons of the last year to the next.
For Holiday Cheer, Switch Off Zoom and Pick Up the Phone
After an extraordinarily difficult year, we are all looking for respite from the isolation and uncertainty of pandemic life. We asked Marissa King, who studies personal and team dynamics, to share some quick tips for making this year’s holiday season a little brighter.
No Matter What We Earn, We Believe Our Richer Neighbors Have More to Give
According to a new study co-authored by Yale SOM’s Gal Zauberman, people of a wide range of income levels believe that they are giving what they should to charity—but that even richer people have more spare income and a greater obligation to give.
How to Keep Your Sense of Purpose While Working Remotely
Yale SOM’s Amy Wrzesniewski, an expert in how people find meaning in their jobs, says that working remotely can diminish our sense of community and structure—and offers suggestions for staying anchored.
Rational Order from ‘Irrational’ Actions
Prof. Shyam Sunder outlines a strain of research, drawing on complexity theory, that suggests that outcomes of a social system can be rational even if its individual participants are not rational.
A Passionate Startup Pitch Is Powerful—But Can Be Misleading
According to a new study co-authored by Yale SOM’s Song Ma, those with cheerful and enthusiastic presentations are more likely to get venture capital funding—and less likely to build successful ventures.
