Poor but not by choice(s): The persistence of cognitive biases across economic groups

While economic inequality continues to rise within countries, efforts to address it have been largely ineffective, particularly those involving behavioral approaches. It is often implied but not tested that patterns among low-income individuals may be a factor impeding behavioral interventions aimed at improving upward economic mobility. To test this, we assessed rates of ten cognitive biases across nearly 5,000 participants from 27 countries, comparing between low-income adults and individuals that had overcome financial disadvantages as children, known as positive deviants. Using discrete and complex models, we find robust evidence of no differences within or between groups or countries. We therefore conclude without reservation that choices impeded by cognitive biases alone cannot explain why some individuals do not experience upward economic mobility. Policies must combine both behavioral and structural interventions to improve financial well-being across populations

The persistence of cognitive biases in financial decisions across economic groups

Abstract While economic inequality continues to rise within countries, efforts to address it have been largely ineffective, particularly those involving behavioral approaches. It is often implied but not tested that choice patterns among low-income individuals may be a factor impeding behavioral interventions aimed at improving upward economic mobility. To test this, we assessed rates of ten cognitive biases across nearly 5000 participants from 27 countries. Our analyses were primarily focused on 1458 individuals that were either low-income adults or individuals who grew up in disadvantaged households but had above-average financial well-being as adults, known as positive deviants. Using discrete and complex models, we find evidence of no differences within or between groups or countries. We therefore conclude that choices impeded by cognitive biases alone cannot explain why some individuals do not experience upward economic mobility. Policies must combine both behavioral and structural interventions to improve financial well-being across populations

The persistence of cognitive biases in financial decisions across economic groups.

Acknowledgements: We thank the Junior Researcher Programme, Global Behavioral Science (GLOBES), Department of Psychology, Columbia University; the Centre for Business Research, Judge Business School, University of Cambridge; Corpus Christi College, Cambridge; and Dr Ceren Sönmez, Michal Goldstein, Abby Yucht, and Anastasia Gracheva. This research was supported in part by the National Science Foundation (#2218595) and by Undergraduate Global Engagement at Columbia University. Additional support was provided to individual researchers from the Columbia University Office of the Provost, Masaryk University Centre for International Cooperation, and the Benjamin A. Gilman International Fund from the United States Department of State. This research was funded in part, by the UKRI [MR/N013468/1]. For the purpose of Open Access, the author has applied a CC BY public copyright licence to any Author Accepted Manuscript version arising from this submission.While economic inequality continues to rise within countries, efforts to address it have been largely ineffective, particularly those involving behavioral approaches. It is often implied but not tested that choice patterns among low-income individuals may be a factor impeding behavioral interventions aimed at improving upward economic mobility. To test this, we assessed rates of ten cognitive biases across nearly 5000 participants from 27 countries. Our analyses were primarily focused on 1458 individuals that were either low-income adults or individuals who grew up in disadvantaged households but had above-average financial well-being as adults, known as positive deviants. Using discrete and complex models, we find evidence of no differences within or between groups or countries. We therefore conclude that choices impeded by cognitive biases alone cannot explain why some individuals do not experience upward economic mobility. Policies must combine both behavioral and structural interventions to improve financial well-being across populations

The psychology and policy of overcoming economic inequality

This project will use secondary data analysis to explore financial behaviors and economic inequality globally. We will investigate the patterns and predictors of positive deviance across and within 60 countries. Using this framework, we aim to better understand what incremental behaviors or individual factors might form the basis of more effective interventions to reduce financial inequality