Who Do We Think Of as Poor? Several years ago, during a harsh Detroit winter, I swallowed my pride and applied for food stamps. I wasn’t sure I’d qualify, but I knew three things. I had little money in the … Continue reading Is poverty a white issue?
How Poverty Changes the Brain You saw the pictures in science class—a profile view of the human brain, sectioned by function. The piece at the very front, right behind where a forehead would be if the brain were actually in … Continue reading The limbic system’s fears
How to Trick People Into Saving Money Late last summer, Dawn Paquin started keeping her money on a prepaid debit card from Walmart instead of in a traditional checking account. The wages from her factory job—she works from 9 p.m. … Continue reading Alluring for poor people
Why Behavioral Approaches to Fighting Poverty Are So Controversial Behavioral interventions geared at reducing poverty and inequality are inherently controversial. After all, if the problem is that Group A has a lot more money than Group B, why not give … Continue reading Poverty vs. inequality
Can Financial Inclusion Change Gender Norms? Imagine a young married woman living in a small village in rural India. If the opportunities to work in the village are limited, she may choose to supplement her household’s income by participating in … Continue reading Women’s empowerment
What Happens When You Give Free Money to Poor People Finland, the country that gave the world the sauna, is now experimenting with another act of radical generosity. On January 1, it became the first European country to give unemployed … Continue reading The welfare cliff
Mind over matter: is scarcity as much about psychology as it is economics? “Unlimited wants, scarce resources”. This is the economic problem. But once basic needs are met, how much should scarcity – having “enough” – be understood as a … Continue reading How to develop an abundance mindset
