Behavioral Economics Lab — 14 cognitive biases and 8 empirical nudge findings, explained
14
Cognitive biases explained
8
Empirical nudge findings
26
Journals covered
995
NBER working papers
Browse the directory
Cognitive Biases
A–Z definitions, examples, and evidence for 14 biases.
Nudge Findings
8 empirical studies with structured, citable outcomes.
Journals & Research
43 landmark papers summarized across 26 journals.
Essential Books
The 20 defining books, ranked by consensus across Goodreads, Five Books, and best-of lists.
Working Papers
995 recent NBER behavioral-economics working papers, searchable.
Featured Essays
4 original long-form essays on behavioral economics.
Start with the essentials
Loss AversionThe psychological tendency to feel the pain of a loss twice as strongly as the pleasure of an equivalent gain.Present BiasThe inclination to undervalue future rewards in favor of immediate, smaller gratification.Social Proof (Pluralistic Ignorance)The phenomenon where people look to the behavior of others to guide their own decisions, especially in ambiguous situations.Default EffectThe tendency to stick with the pre-selected option because it requires the least amount of effort and is perceived as the recommended status quo.Anchoring BiasThe disproportionate reliance on the first piece of information encountered (the 'anchor') when making subsequent judgments or estimations.Framing EffectDrawing different conclusions from the same information depending on how that information is presented or contextualized.
Evidence that nudges work
Nudge examples →Increasing National Tax Compliance via Social NormsPayment Rate within 23 Days: 67.5% → 83% (+15.5 pts)Overcoming Saving Inertia with Future CommitmentsAverage Retirement Saving Rate: 3.5% → 13.6% (+10.1 pts)Organ Donation Registration Rates and Presumed ConsentDonor Consent Registration Rate: 18% → 99.1% (+81.1 pts)Residential Energy Conservation via Neighbor BenchmarksPercentage Household Energy Savings: 0.1% → 2.1% (+2.0 pts)