Cash Rewards Have Less Sway in Collectivistic Cultures

If you’re trying to get someone to do something, what’s the best way to achieve that? Paying them probably comes to mind, and this intuition is a basic tenet of economic theory. In a massive 2018 study, researchers tested 18 ways to motivate people to do a simple task—and found that money worked best.

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A recent study found that a nudge to change social norms about female entrepreneurship in Niger was enough to boost household income as much as giving people money—and it cost far less. Our findings suggest that psychological nudges may be most effective in the places they help people the most.

Read the whole story (subscription may be required): Scientific American