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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
by Arielle Gorstein & Emily Zimmerman
An unplanned pregnancy during adolescence can dramatically impact a girl’s health and economic future, yet use of modern family planning (FP) services among adolescents remains low in many places. The challenge is particularly great in many countries in Africa, where despite a global rise in FP use among adolescents, adolescent fertility remains high and nearly […]
by Elizabeth McElwee & Emily Zimmerman
This post originally appeared on the Breakthrough Action + Research blog. Thanks to global efforts, family planning and reproductive health (FP/RH) services have made great strides. However, many people still do not use these services even when they currently want to avoid or delay pregnancy. Behavioral economics brings a unique perspective to the choices people […]
by ideas42
Applied together, it is fair to say that machine learning and behavioral science have the potential to significantly magnify social impact. Yet, as machine learning algorithms become more prevalent in the systems people use to make important decisions, there is deep, and not unfounded, concern that algorithms – even those designed with social impact […]
by Lois Aryee & Mukta Joshi
As economies enter various phases of ‘opening back up’ and countries gradually ease COVID-19-related lockdowns and restrictions, many people find themselves constantly navigating ambiguity and uncertainty around how this should affect their everyday decisions and actions. Two ideas42 team members, based in different parts of the world, share their experiences and offer helpful insights based […]
by ideas42
We are disgusted by the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery. We are angry about the ongoing racism faced by Black people. This anger is not new in the US, as Black Americans have faced a long history of racist violence driven not by a few bad actors, but by systemic racism […]
by Sriram Sridharan, Faraz Haqqi & Emily Zimmerman
“We don’t gamble with human life up here […] You know the main killer in Africa is this malaria.” – Doctor, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria Most health care providers in Nigeria know the protocols for testing and treating patients for malaria. When asked, providers correctly explain that every case of fever should be tested, and […]
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