The World Health Organization calls air pollution the number one environmental threat to health in the Americas. More than 60,000 people in Latin America died prematurely from exposure to fine particulate matter and ozone in 2010. And with an increasing number of vehicles on the region's roads, lax or non-existent emissions standards, and more frequent wildfires, the number of … [Read more...] about Do Air Pollution Alerts Work to Change Behavior and Reduce Exposure?
Behavioral Economics
Compiling Latin America and the Caribbean’s Largest Repository of Behavioral Interventions
How do you keep people from gathering with friends and family during a pandemic? How do you improve school attendance among preschoolers? How do you make sure taxpayers pay their fair share? These are some of the questions researchers seek to solve so countries can continue to grow and prosper. Many issues come down to human behavior and how the right policy tools can nudge … [Read more...] about Compiling Latin America and the Caribbean’s Largest Repository of Behavioral Interventions
Appealing to Social Norms to Combat COVID-19
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began more than a year ago, much has been learned about how infection can be prevented. In particular, the scientific consensus holds that certain human behaviors, like social distancing, the avoidance of indoor gatherings, and the use of face masks, are powerful and effective at helping prevent the virus's spread. Nonetheless, many people continue … [Read more...] about Appealing to Social Norms to Combat COVID-19
Don’t Forget to Call: How Personal Interaction Boosts Tax Payments
The COVID-19 pandemic is dramatically affecting the lives of hundreds of millions of people in Latin America and the Caribbean, taking lives and exacting an immense toll on individual and national economies. Governments have responded with urgent assistance. But with a more than 10% decline in revenues as a result of closed businesses and lost jobs, governments now have to buy … [Read more...] about Don’t Forget to Call: How Personal Interaction Boosts Tax Payments
Enlisting Behavioral Sciences to Combat Fare Dodging on Public Transport
From New York and Washington to London and Santiago, metro and other mass transportation systems have long been vulnerable to people who jump turnstiles, avoid ticket collectors, and engage in other kinds of fare evasion that can lead to tens or hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue losses each year and even accidental death. TransMilenio, the world's … [Read more...] about Enlisting Behavioral Sciences to Combat Fare Dodging on Public Transport