Behavior Change for Good Initiative

06/18/2026

Is targeting the most well-connected people in a network always the best strategy for spreading behavior change? Not necessarily, according to new research by Yuan Hsiao and Team Scientist Nicholas A. Christakis.

In communities where a few people hold most of the social connections, targeting those people can actually slow the spread of behaviors that require peer reinforcement.

https://bit.ly/4ehy4CK

06/16/2026

The June edition of our newsletter is out now, featuring the latest from BCFG and a Q&A with Team Scientist Leslie John on the power of oversharing.

A National Academies workshop, new research on phones in schools, plus an interview with Team Scientist Leslie John on the power of oversharing

06/11/2026

A randomized controlled trial by Team Scientist Eugenia South and collaborators tested whether street cleaning reduces gun violence in Philadelphia.

Cleanups reduced visible litter, but did not significantly reduce gun violence or serious crime.

The authors suggest that more comprehensive place-based prevention strategies are likely needed.

https://bit.ly/4nNMgbm

06/09/2026

In a JAMA Network Open commentary, Team Scientist Mitesh Patel and Joshua Liao argue that health systems should align patient outreach with how people actually communicate today—mobile and asynchronous.

They point to a colorectal cancer screening trial in which text-message nudges outperformed nurse phone calls and boosted at-home test completion from 49% to 59%.

https://bit.ly/4dAPlXl

06/04/2026

Learn more about Tatiana Homonoff, an Associate Professor of Economics and Public Service at NYU Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service and Team Scientist whose research applies behavioral economics to public policy challenges in poverty, taxation, and consumer finance.

Visit her website: https://bit.ly/4dL8eIy

06/02/2026

When does punishing free riders help groups cooperate, and when does it backfire?

A Science Magazine paper by Team Scientists David G. Rand, Duncan Watts, Abdullah Almaatouq & co-author suggests the answer depends heavily on context.

https://bit.ly/4uqUZm0

05/28/2026

A new article by Team Scientists Hengchen Dai, Silvia Saccardo, Kevin Volpp & collaborators synthesizes research on improving health outcomes by redesigning patient & clinician decision environments.

https://bit.ly/4tTHbQ7

05/26/2026

A new Nature paper co-led by Team Scientist Barnabas Szaszi had 457 researchers reanalyze 100 social and behavioral science studies. Most reanalyses reached the original conclusion — but reanalysts fully agreed with each other on only 34% of studies.
https://bit.ly/4fABu5X

05/21/2026

Large language models display a "parahuman" susceptibility to classic persuasion techniques.
A new PNAS News paper by Co-Director Angela Duckworth, Team Scientists Dr. Robert Cialdini & Christophe Van den Bulte, and collaborators finds that across 126,000 conversations, persuasion principles increased LLM compliance with objectionable requests.
https://bit.ly/4uqTk00

Are large language models (LLMs) susceptible to the same persuasive appeals as humans? We tested whether classic persuasion principles (authority, ...

05/20/2026

Team Scientist podcast roundup:
Greg Walton on Hidden Brain: https://bit.ly/3Rh2X2F

Abby Sussman on Speaking of Psychology https://bit.ly/43ipOgP

Richard Thaler on Choiceology https://bit.ly/4nO5bTm

What’s the difference between being loved and feeling loved?