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.
Study Explores What Investors Are Really Thinking
Academic theories explaining which factors affect individual investment decisions abound, but few studies have involved asking people about the issue directly.
What Riddles Teach Us about the Human Mind
Yale SOM’s Shane Frederick and his co-authors investigated why certain riddles can confound us. They found that these “stumpers” expose mental models that blind us to possible answers.
Research-Based Tips for a Better New Year
What does the data say about making the most of 2019? We asked Yale SOM faculty to share self-improvement tips based on their research.
How Can You Make Incentives More Effective? Make Them Opaque.
A study from Yale SOM’s Florian Ederer suggests that when individuals or organizations don’t fully understand how they’re being ranked, they’re likely to work harder for higher ratings.
The Housing Boom Is Already Gigantic. How Long Can It Last?
The best explanation for why prices go up, Yale's Robert Shiller writes, may be that we expect them to—until we don’t.
The Roots of Economic Inequality
A new study co-authored by Yale SOM's Michael Kraus shows that deeply ingrained social behaviors play a role in perpetuating economic inequality.
Experiment to Save an Endangered Fish Holds Lessons for Policymakers
Randomized control trials may offer a tool for cost-effective, evidence-based policy making and perhaps even a deeper understanding of human behavior.
For Motivation, Dieters Look to the ‘Biggest Loser’
When you’re trying to lose weight, boost your grades, or improve your golf game, is comparing yourself to a top performer discouraging or motivating?
Does Data Mean Insight?
Stephan Gans, chief insights and analytics officer for PepsiCo, makes the case for data and judgment.
How A Sequence of Decisions Affects Later Shopping Choices
When you’re picking out a jacket or a sofa, does it matter in what order you decide on its color, style, and material? New research suggests that the sequence may change how you categorize the object and how you decide to replace it.
