An Important New Review Paper and More Exciting Updates

Which COVID-19 Policy Recommendations from Behavioral Scientists Were Actually Supported by Evidence?

In a new article published in Nature, Kai Ruggeri and collaborators (including eight BCFG Team Scientists) found support for 89% of behavioral science recommendations based on evidence from 747 empirical papers. One surprising disappointment: the review found no support for the recommendation that policymakers should appeal to people’s desire to protect others when encouraging behavior change.

New BCFG Op-Ed: How Long Does it Take to Form a Habit?

And what does it take to turn New Year’s resolutions into lasting habits? BCFG Co-Directors Angela Duckworth and Katy Milkman—along with Kasandra Brabaw and Anastasia Buyalskya—share three science-backed strategies and a summary of their recent research with BCFG Team scientist Colin Camerer in this new CNN op-ed. 

BCFG Presents: A Conversation about the Past, Present and Future of Behavioral Science and Public Policy

Harvard Professor, best-selling author, and BCFG Team Scientist Cass Sunstein will join Katy Milkman and Angela Duckworth in Philadelphia on Wednesday, January 31st for a conversation about the influence of behavioral science on public policy past, present, and future.

We hope you can join us if you’re in town, but if not, a recording of the event will be made available after the fact on our YouTube channel, so stay tuned.

In Case You Missed It: Learn How Megastudies Can Help Shape Public Policy

BCFG Co-Director Katy Milkman recently shared insights on how behavioral science, and megastudies in particular, can help shape policy in a number of public forums. Recordings from Katy’s conversations and presentations to The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, the Social Science Research Council’s Centennial Lecture Series and the National Academy of Sciences can be found below.

1. President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, Executive Office of the President of the United States

2. What Have Megastudies Taught Us about Successfully Encouraging Increased Vaccination?, Social Science Research Council Centennial Lecture Series

3. What is the Future of Behavioral Economics and Public Policy?, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Olivia S. Mitchell Named American Economic Association Distinguished Fellow

Congratulations to BCFG Team Scientist Olivia Mitchell for this impressive recognition of her many important contributions to the field of economics. The full announcement is available on the AEA website.

Thinkers50 Awards

Congratulations to Katy Milkman and Adam Grant for being named to the 2023 Thinkers50 list!

Selected Popular Press Coverage of BCFG Team Scientists

1. Making a Resolution? Read These Tips for Success, featuring Jay Van Bavel, Vogue

2. We Need to Focus More on the Social Effects of AI, by Nicholas Christakis, The Economist

3. Trick Your Brain Into Being Better With Money, featuring Wendy De La Rosa, The Wall Street Journal

Spotlighted Podcasts

1. The Science of Making — and Keeping — New Year’s Resolutions, featuring Hal Hersfield, Ten Percent Happier

2. Unlocking Hidden Potential with Malcolm Gladwell, by Adam Grant, ReThinking

3. Can You Really “Manifest” Success Through Positive Visualization?, by Angela Duckworth, No Stupid Questions