Resources

Behavioral Economics

George Loewenstein – Behavioral Economics – Past, Present, Future
Major approaches, methods, and findings in recent work on Behavioral Economics
Gharad Bryan, Dean Karlan, Scott Nelson – Commitment Devices
Defines and analyzes several self-commitment devices
Saugato Datta, Sendhil Mullainathan – Behavioral Design: A New Approach to Development Policy
Explores the implications of behavioral economics in several policy areas including health and cash transfer programs
Stefano DellaVigna – Psychology and Economics: Evidence from the Field
Background and evidence on non-standard preferences, beliefs and decision-making

Nava Ashraf, Erica Field, Jean Lee – Household Bargaining and Excess Fertility: An Experimental Study in Zambia
A study in Zambia suggests women are less likely to take up contraceptives if access is offered jointly to a couple; however, women that are offered access alone report lower well-being indicating there may be psychological costs.
UNFPA 2012 – Meeting the Sexual and Reproductive Health Needs of Adolescent Girls
A factsheet on the current needs of adolescent girls and actions that can be taken to improve their reproductive health
World Bank – Better Health for Women and Families: The World Bank’s Reproductive Health Action Plan 2010-2015

Nava Ashraf – How Behavioral Economics is Promoting Better Health Around the World
A brief analysis of how behavioral economics tools can be used to overcome health challenges
Nava Ashraf, Dean Karlan, Wesley Yin – Female Empowerment: Impact of a Commitment Savings Product in the Philippines
An analysis of a randomized control trial that found a commitment savings product, which only women contribute to and have control over, improved their decision-making power within the household.
Sarah Baird, Ephraim Chirwab, Craig McIntosh, Berk Ozler – The Short-Term Impacts of a Schooling Conditional Cash Transfer Program on the Sexual Behavior of Young Women
A randomized control trial on cash transfers in Malawi indicated that transfers conditioned on school attendance can decrease rates of pregnancy, early marriage and sexual activity among participants. A follow-up study, partially funded by BERI, will determine whether and how these transfers change young women’s future aspirations.