Recent work
Biases in how people judge economic distributions
We asked a group of Americans to estimate the current state of economic inequality in the United States. On average, they under-estimated the true extent of inequality by over 200%. Why do people get this so wrong? In this work, we analyze the pervasive misperceptions about economic inequality. In 9 experiments with 3,599 Americans, we identify cognitive biases that influence how people evaluate economic distributions.
We evaluate the best practices in applying behavioral science in cash transfer programs around the world. This work is a collaboration with researchers from World Bank and Ideas42.
Windfalls of time versus money
How do people allocate unexpected windfalls of time and money? We conducted a field experiment with 1,550 working mothers in Kenya to test the welfare effects of providing people with either a large increase in time (an extra 15-21 hours over 3 weeks) or money (a temporary 43% income boost).
How does the design of fintech apps influence users’ financial decisions?
In this article, we explore the psychology behind digital budgeting apps. In 8 online experiments with 4,680 participants, we analyze how specific design features influence how much money people choose to save versus spend.
Why time poverty matters for individuals, organizations, and nations
Why hasn’t material affluence translated into time affluence? We analyze the causes and consequences of time poverty in personal, professional, and public life.
Income volatility and impatient financial decisions
How do unpredictable income streams influence our financial choices? We analyze panel data tracking 5,106 Americans over 27 years and find that experiencing more volatile year-over-year income swings leads to more impatient financial decision-making. In a series of follow-up studies with another 1,167 participants, we find that month-over-month income volatility also has an even stronger effect on financial choices, leading people to over-spend and under-save. We analyze the implications and how we might design fintech tools to help people manage increasingly volatile incomes.
The wellbeing effects of treating a weekend like a vacation
Are you actually happier when you come back from vacation? We analyze the wellbeing effects of actual vacations with a sample of 218,155 Americans. We then conduct a series of experiments with another 1,511 participants to examine how people can get greater emotional benefits from their existing time away from work.