Mapping out methods: bringing structure to the study of behavior
Say you have a problem procrastinating. You would like to change this as you end up doing most things at the last moment. First, you’d have to figure out why…
The engagement toolbox: four major engagement models to think about before any project
Milestones are a matter of perspective. For parents, five years is critical in the development of a child. It forms the foundation of your child’s learning, physical and emotional growth.…
5 reflections to strengthen civic engagement: context is king
Our determination to set up behavioral labs in non-WEIRD countries was driven by the idea that changing the context would change the results. This idea, supported by our equally curious…
To live or not to leave: the tension between meeting basic needs and social distancing
Introduction For wealthy people from wealthy countries, it may not always be easy, though usually quite feasible to be socially distant: Just stay home as much as possible, maybe read…
Getting funding right in East Africa: top ten priorities for maximum impact
This is the first in a series of reflective thought pieces on our work in East Africa, especially as it relates to programming, partnerships and funding in the governance and…
Saving the children: how to create effective messaging to stop violence against children
In an experiment where people were asked to place numbers along a linear axis, many respondents placed a million, roughly halfway between a thousand and a billion (it really doesn’t go there).…
Give to Caesar: understanding taxpayer perceptions in Somaliland
As the saying goes — where there is a will, there is inheritance tax. Tax as the bane of existence has been a narrative that has been around since the…
The stories in our photos: using photography to better understand diversity at Busara
In an attempt to baffle his enemies, a hare was once told to have woven himself a coat that had two perfect halves, one dyed perfectly red and the other…
Link, learn, laugh: improving loan repayment rates using behavioral science
When you’re giving grants to support marginalized and discriminated groups across two continents, the fact that there are similarities and learnings that can be cross pollinated cannot be ignored. Voice,…
Who even needs a pound of flesh: improving loan repayment rates using behavioral science
“Why, I am sure, if he forfeit, thou wilt not take his flesh — what’s that good for?” -Salarino, a bystander in the play The antagonist in Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice is…