Blog

News

Browse news articles about J-PAL and our affiliated professors, and read our press releases and monthly global and research newsletters. For media inquiries, please email us.

Investing Cash Transfers to Raise Long-Term Living Standards in Mexico

Sebastian Martinez
Marta Rubio-Codina
Researchers conducted a randomized evaluation of the impact of the Oportunidades CCT program in Mexico on recipients’ investments decisions and long-run poverty levels. They found that the cash transfers promoted long-term increases in consumption through investment in productive activities...

The Persuasive Effects of Televised Campaign Ads

James G. Gimpel
Daron R. Shaw
Early in the 2006 campaign for governor of Texas, the launch date and volume of television advertisements as well as the launch date of radio advertisements for the incumbent candidate were randomly assigned across media markets to evaluate the impact of the ads on public opinion. Results indicate...

Discrimination Against Skilled Immigrants in the Canadian Labor Market

Skilled immigrants in Canada struggle in the labor market, facing substantially higher levels of unemployment and lower wages than non-immigrants. Researchers randomly manipulated thousands of resumes to measure the effects that foreign experience and having a name of Chinese, Indian, Pakistani, or...

Expanding Financial Access Via Credit Cards: Evidence from Mexico

Sara G. Castellanos
Diego J. Jiménez Hernández
Researchers leveraged data from a randomized evaluation conducted by a large bank in Mexico to test the impact of varying credit card contract terms on loan default, card cancellation rates, and bank revenue for first-time formal sector borrowers. Variations in the interest rate and minimum payment...

Intensive Case Management to Overcome Barriers to Self-Sufficiency in the United States

Researchers worked with the City of Rochester and local social service providers to evaluate the Bridges to Success program, in which participants were paired with mentors who helped them move towards economic self-sufficiency.

The Impact of a Quiz-Style Information Campaign on Covid-19 Prevention in the United States

Researchers are measuring the impact of a quiz-style information campaign on people’s learning and adherence to Covid-19 health protocols. This study is part of a three-country research in the United States, Ghana, and Zambia program aiming to generate evidence on the best strategies to effectively...

Cutting Through the Clutter: Making Insurance Choices Easier in the United States

Jeffrey Kling
Eldar Shafir
Lee Vermeulen
Marian Wrobel
Researchers evaluated the effect of personalized options information on seniors' plan choices. They found that people who received personalized information were more likely to change plans, resulting in an average saving of US$100 per year. This suggests that direct information delivery can decrease...