Why do so many New Year’s resolutions revolve around food? It's probably because so many of us eat without restraint, gorging ourselves on extra-large portions; because we know we should be eating less junk and more fruits and vegetables, but still end up reaching for that cookie. It's because what we eat and what we know we should eat don't line up. But it's not only our … [Read more...] about Making Better Food Choices in 2019
Behavioral Economics
A Walk on the Dark Side: Learning from Corporate Use of Behavioral Economics
I recently attended the IlleXBehavior Meeting in Chicago, a gathering of behavioral and tech consultancies and some of the largest companies in the United States. The meeting focuses on the latest insights from behavioral economics and neuroscience, and I must admit I was a bit skeptical at first. I half-expected the meeting to be a festival of manipulation, in which … [Read more...] about A Walk on the Dark Side: Learning from Corporate Use of Behavioral Economics
Nudging: A Path to Greater Childhood Vaccination
How can vaccinations be guaranteed in poor rural areas? Guatemala faced the problem recently when it confronted the declining rates of rural immunization after children's first year of life, a phenomenon that potentially threatened childhood health and survival. Declining rates of childhood vaccination These biases were taking their toll. Mothers made a big effort during … [Read more...] about Nudging: A Path to Greater Childhood Vaccination
What Behavioral Economics Can Do for the G20
If you are reading this blog, you are most likely a person with limited rationality. If you doubt that, ask yourself, if you have ever over-snoozed your morning alarm or eaten beyond your point of hunger? Humans, as it turns out, often fail to act in their best self-interest. We fail to follow through on intended goals and undervalue, or discount, the importance of the future. … [Read more...] about What Behavioral Economics Can Do for the G20
Behavioral Economics: Making Our Roads Safer
While plane crashes get the most media attention, we are much more likely to be injured in or by a car. And, in Latin America, the cost is very high. During 2017, car accidents claimed an average of 12 people per 100,000 inhabitants, five times the rate in Norway, more than double the rate in France, and even higher than that in the United States where road safety has been a … [Read more...] about Behavioral Economics: Making Our Roads Safer