by Ariadna Vargas
Virginia owns a small business outside of Mexico City. Her brother, whom she cares for, suffers from a chronic health problem, so Virginia needs to have some cash available for covering expenses from sudden medical emergencies if they arise. Until recently, she maintained her savings with an informal community savings group, run by her neighbor, […]
by Liana Johnson
Social norms are a powerful tool for improving lives—they have helped people get healthier, save more money, and take positive environmental actions. While social norms sound simple—“tell people what others are doing and they’ll change their behavior!”—there are plenty of nuances to leveraging them for social good. Apply these three insights to optimize your social […]
by Rachel Rosenberg & Michael Stern
Imagine entering college for the first time. In addition to starting day one in a completely new environment, you have countless decisions to make within just a couple of weeks that will determine your path for the next two to four years: “What do I want to study?” “Which courses do I need to take?” […]
by ideas42
A significant part of our work at ideas42 is learning, constantly, about people—how they make decisions and how their actions are impacted by the world around them. Through a deeper understanding about our often-quirky tendencies, we can more effectively design solutions that can positively impact the lives of millions of people. In this process, each […]
by ideas42
We’ve spent more than a decade applying behavioral science to complex social problems, all in the service of improving the lives of millions of people. Part of our mission is to dramatically expand the use of behavioral science as a problem-solving tool, and that’s why we’ve recently broadened our efforts to bring this approach to […]
by Sarah Welch
In 2014, 31% of annual charitable giving occurred in the month of December—and 12% in the last 3 days of the year. Why? There are many potential reasons. The traditional holiday season sparks generosity and a desire to help others. Some people make last-minute donations for tax purposes. And more recently, fundraisers’ giving campaigns are […]
by Jaclyn Lefkowitz and Emily Zimmerman
A recent report by the World Economic Forum estimated that by 2050 the retirement savings gap may reach $400 trillion, leaving hundreds of millions of people at risk of poverty in old age. This problem is particularly acute in Mexico and across Latin America. Aging populations, low mandatory contribution rates, and large numbers of informal […]
by ideas42
If you’re getting yourself into the Halloween…spirit…by checking the back of closets and behind curtains for boogeymen, don’t forget to take a peek in the mirror. Sometimes we don’t find the eeriest things lurking in dark corners, but in the corners of our own minds. That’s right, studying behavior (and examining our own behavior) can […]
by Ariadna Vargas
Saving money, even in small amounts, has countless benefits. It helps low-income households build financial resilience—the ability to manage unforeseen expenses and avoid crises. However, saving is challenging for everyone—even when we intend to save more, human tendencies such as present bias, depletions in self-control, and limited attention tend to get in the way of […]
by Omar Parbhoo
It’s often said that Americans are exceptionally generous, and fortunately, it’s a claim that’s well supported by the numbers. In 2016 alone, U.S. households donated over $282 billion to charities worldwide. And when compared globally, the U.S. consistently ranks as one of the most altruistic countries by the World Giving Index. But do these absolute […]
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