Blog

Thoughts and insights from our work applying behavioral science to social problems.

Honoring Black Behavioral Scientists and Examining the Psychology of Race in History

by ideas42

People often (erroneously) believe that a few leaders are responsible for the development of an emerging field, an idea, or event in history because of perceived “natural attributes” such as superior intelligence. This is known as “great man” theory–a flawed theory, of course, because in reality it is the tireless work of countless people that […]

How Can Behavioral Science Help Improve Economic Outcomes for Women?

by Catherine MacLeod, ideas42, and Sarika Gupta, the World Bank

Eleanor, a young woman living in Monrovia, the capital of Liberia, wants to start a business to improve her family’s life. As a young girl, she saw the women in her life braiding hair – her aunt worked at a hair salon, and her mother taught her how to braid. When deciding what kind of […]

University College London Nudgeathon: Can We Hit Refresh on our Domestic Travel Habits in Light of COVID-19?

by Sanjeev Devarajan, Nudgeathon events team, UCL BIT

With the importance of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and COVID-19 reducing aviation numbers dramatically, the current moment is seen as a unique chance to shift business travelling behaviour towards more sustainable choices. On Friday 4th December, University College London’s (UCL) Behavioural Innovations Team launched a Nudgeathon, a unique event built around sharing ideas and developing […]

Our Top Behavioral Science Highlights of the Year (Goodbye, 2020)

by ideas42

It’s become tradition of sorts that each December, we reflect on the year behind us and celebrate the newest evidence and social impact generated by behavioral science. Of course, 2020 is a difficult year to look back on with much fondness. And yet, even in one of the more challenging years in living memory, we […]

How to Mobilize Your Future Self

by Elizabeth Weingarten and Omar Parbhoo

Silver linings are hard to come by in 2020. But from our perspective, there’s at least one: this is the year millions of Americans discovered their civic voices – speaking out in person and virtually, at the polls and in the streets, and by volunteering in their communities at historic levels.  Voter turnout smashed records. […]

Utilizing Pre-COVID Behavioral Designs During a Pandemic: Experiences of Kenya’s National Cash Transfer Beneficiaries

by Sylvia Kezengwa and Kate MacLeod

Beyond the grim realities of a growing death toll, the COVID-19 pandemic has had negative effects on multiple dimensions of life for many people across the globe for much of 2020. Sadly, those already facing instability are disproportionately affected. Social protection programs, including cash transfers, are crucial to safeguarding those living with extreme poverty, and […]

Simple Tools to Reduce Preventable Deaths During Childbirth

by Maddie Kau and Sara Flanagan

Worldwide, what is more likely to kill you than 200 skydives, 1000 scuba dives, or a diagnosed case of malaria? Giving birth once. Too often, giving birth is dangerous, and the most common cause of maternal mortality – postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), or excessive bleeding after childbirth – is largely preventable. The clinical best practices to […]

Fieldwork During the Pandemic? Four Behavioral Insights for Conducting Remote Interviews

by Preeti Anand and Sylvia Kezengwa

As behavioral scientists, we know context matters. That’s why in a typical ideas42 project, our team members engage closely with the lived context of real people who will use or be impacted by our designs. We observe how people go about their lives and make daily decisions, interview service providers and people who use these […]