Faculty & Research Archive
-
Professor Adam Alter's research on the link between a person's skin tone and how he or she is perceived
Excerpt from Scientific American -- "Although psychologists have known for a long time that people associate dark skin with negative personality traits, this research shows that the reverse is also true: when we hear about an evil act, we are more likely to believe it was done by someone with darker skin. This 'bad is black' effect may have its roots in our deep-seated human tendency to associate darkness with wickedness. Across time and cultures, we tend to portray villains as more likely to be active during nighttime and to don black clothing. Similarly, our heroes are often associated with daytime and lighter colors. These mental associations between color and morality may negatively bias us against people with darker skin tones. If this is true, it has far-reaching implications for our justice system. For example, eyewitnesses to crimes may be more likely to falsely identify suspects who possess darker skin." Read more
—— Research in the News
-
Applying the 'Lefever Standard' to Presidential Nominees - By Michael Posner
In the coming days, members of the U.S. Senate will perform their constitutional duty to provide advice and consent to more than 1,200 presidential nominees for senior positions throughout the federal government. Following a highly contentious presidential election and in a deeply divided country, the confirmation process will be subject to intense public scrutiny. Read more
—- Biography: Professor Michael Posner
- Department: Center for Business and Human Rights
— Opinion
-
We Won't Even Know If A Robot Takes Your Job - By Robert Seamans
Robots and automation have received lots of attention over the past year, with much of the interest ranging from alarmist to curious. Elon Musk has said that robots will take your job. The Economist detailed the long history of human anxiety over automation-induced job loss. Read more
—- Biography: Professor Robert Seamans
- Department: Management and Organizations
— Opinion
-
Professor John Horton's research on the impact of an increased minimum wage
Excerpt from The New York Times -- "Mr. Horton concluded that when forced to pay more in wages, many employers were hiring more productive workers, so that the overall amount they spent on each job changed far less than the minimum-wage increase would have suggested. The more productive workers appeared to finish similar work more quickly." Read more
—— Research in the News
-
Professor Alexander Ljungqvist's joint research on the impact of activist investors
Excerpt from Forbes -- "What is the cost of shareholder activism? The impact of the stock market on investment has been quantified in a brilliant study by economists from the Stern School of Business and Harvard Business School, Alexander Ljungqvist, Joan Farre-Mensa, and John Asker, entitled 'Corporate Investment and Stock Market Listing: A Puzzle.' The study compared the investment patterns of public companies and privately held firms. The study found that 'keeping company size and industry constant, private US companies invest nearly twice as much as those listed on the stock market: 6.8 per cent of total assets versus just 3.7 per cent.'" Read more
—— Research in the News
-
Don’t Gut Net Neutrality. It’s Good for People and Business - By Nicholas Economides
The invention and commercialization of the internet is one of the things that makes America great. And what makes the internet great is the easy, unrestricted, and free availability of all kinds of information, regardless of the content provider, a regime known as network neutrality. Read more
—- Biography: Professor Nicholas Economides
- Department: Economics
— Opinion
-
Professor Stephen Brown's joint research on hedge fund managers and auto purchases
Excerpt from The Atlantic -- "The researchers, Stephen Brown, Yan Lu, Sugata Ray, and Melvyn Teo, began with a hypothesis about a psychological trait called “sensation seeking.” As they write, the trait is 'defined by the seeking of varied, novel, complex, and intense sensations and experiences, and the willingness to take physical, social, legal, and financial risks for the sake of such experience.' Major sensation seekers, in other words, are the sort of people who probably make for good Hollywood protagonists, and they are more likely to step outside the law. Among other correlates established by earlier research, people with the trait are less careful with spending and engage in risky driving. So when their disposable incomes start to swell, the researchers reasoned, they are more likely to stop by a Ferrari showroom than a Subaru lot." Read more
—— Research in the News
-
Ethical Systems Design: What Smart Leaders are Using to Improve Their Organizations - By Jonathan Haidt
In 2016, many developed nations faced the same two demons that have tormented them since the 2008 financial crisis: slow and disappointing growth, combined with rising income inequality. Some of these nations are also experiencing populist discontent or rebellion. While the causes of populist movements are varied and cannot be understood by economics alone, it’s clear that faster and more equal growth would have reduced some of the anger. Read more
—- Biography: Professor Jonathan Haidt
- Department: Business & Society Program
— Opinion
-
How Greece’s Troubled Economy Could Turn Around in 2017 - By Nicholas Economides
Violating the terms of its bailout program, the Greek government recently announced that it will distribute a sizeable “Christmas gift” to Greek pensioners even though this requires additional borrowing from the EU since the Greek budget is not balanced and Greece cannot borrow from money markets. The move has prompted the EU finance ministers to freeze implementation of debt restructuring. Greece is at the brink again. Read more
—- Biography: Professor Nicholas Economides
- Department: Economics
— Opinion
-
“America First” and Global Conflict Next - By Nouriel Roubini
Donald Trump’s election as President of the United States does not just represent a mounting populist backlash against globalization. It may also portend the end of Pax Americana – the international order of free exchange and shared security that the US and its allies built after World War II. Read more
—- Biography: Professor Nouriel Roubini
- Department: Economics
— Opinion
-
On U.S. Campuses, Free Inquiry Is Taking a Beating - By Jonathan Haidt
Colleges are the second-favorite charitable cause in the U.S. (after religious organizations). So donors have major opportunities to influence what happens in higher education. Read more
—- Biography: Professor Jonathan Haidt
- Department: Business & Society Program
— Opinion
-
Faculty Awards & Accolades – January 2017
Faculty Awards and Accolades highlighted in the January 2017 issue of Stern's Faculty Research Brief. Read more
—— Research Highlights
-
Professor Yaacov Trope's joint research on psychological distance is referenced
Excerpt from Scientific American -- "Psychologists have known for some time, thanks to work led by Nira Liberman from Tel Aviv University and Yaacov Trope from New York University, that goals look different in the distant versus near future. Three months ago, when you booked your holiday travel, you probably had some abstract notions of 'family togetherness,' 'relaxation,' or 'adventure.' The night before you left, however, you probably had some more immediate concerns in mind. Concerns like, 'How is all this stuff going to fit in the suitcase?' and 'Will I be able to get an Uber driver at 4:45 AM?'" Read more
—— Research in the News
-
What Scientific Term Or Concept Ought To Be More Widely Known? - By Adam Alter
In 1832, a Prussian military analyst named Carl von Clausewitz explained that “three quarters of the factors on which action in war is based are wrapped in a fog of . . . uncertainty.” The best military commanders seemed to see through this “fog of war,” predicting how their opponents would behave on the basis of limited information. Sometimes, though, even the wisest generals made mistakes, divining a signal through the fog when no such signal existed. Read more
—- Biography: Professor Adam Alter
- Department: Marketing
— Opinion
-
A Growth Agenda for China - By A. Michael Spence
At a time when the United States is poised to turn inward, China’s economic performance is more important globally than ever. Whether China can achieve sustainable growth patterns in the coming years will depend upon a number of key factors. Read more
—- Biography: Professor A. Michael Spence
- Department: Economics
— Opinion