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Fighting climate change: international attitudes toward climate policies
No full textThis paper explores global perceptions and understanding of climate change and policies, examining factors that influence support for climate action and the impact of different types of information. We conduct large-scale surveys with 40,000 respondents from 20 countries, providing new international data on attitudes toward climate change and respondents’ socioeconomic backgrounds and lifestyles. We identify three key perceptions affecting policy support: perceived effectiveness of policies in reducing emissions, their impact on low-income households, and their effect on respondents’ households (self-interest). Educational videos clarifying policy mechanisms increase support for climate policies; those merely highlighting climate change’s impacts do not
Social segregation, inter-group contact, and discriminatory policing
No full textWe analyze a formal model of social contact and discrimination in the context of policing. Officers decide how to interact with members of two social groups while working and while socializing. The officers do not fully distinguish between their experiences of crime across these two contexts (“coarse thinking”), so they end up with excessively positive views of groups they socialize with and excessively negative views of those they police. This creates dual feedback loops as officers choose to socialize more with groups they view favorably and over-police those they view as “more criminal.” Interventions that induce positive contact with an overpoliced group can mitigate the officer’s discriminatory policing. However, this beneficial effect only persists if the policy intervention creates sustained positive contact. Our results provide a novel theoretical microfoundation for the contact hypothesis and highlight why effects of many policy interventions aimed at increasing positive contact may be short-lived
DeepSeek, ChatGPT and the race towards artificial general intelligence
No full textWhole enterprises and nations are framing their ambitions around artificial general intelligence (AGI), for which reasoning is considered a milestone. Barry Ledeatte writes that through the emergence of Deepseek, AI research has reached a level of competition that will probably accelerate progress at the cost of concerns around safety
How agentic AI can be applied to behavioural science
No full textTraditional AI models have been extensively studied for their influence on human behaviour. But agentic AI remains largely unexplored in behavioural science. Dario Krpan, Dima Sayess, Fatima Koaik, George Philippe Farajalla, Pujen Shrestha and Robin Schnider discuss the concept of agentic AI and explore the risks and opportunities of its responsible integration into behavioural science
Why a US Invasion of Mexico would end in disaster
No full textSince before his inauguration, those in President Trump’s close circle have advocated for military action in Mexico to combat drug cartels. Kevin Zapata Celestino and Omar Alejandro Loera González write that from a historical, political, diplomatic and social standpoint, military action against Mexico would be impractical but also deeply counterproductive for the US, potentially transforming the cartels and other criminal organizations into symbols of resistance
Multinationals and intra-regional innovation concentration
No full textThis article examines the extent to which the presence of multinational enterprises (MNEs) influences the concentration of innovation among patenting firms within US states from 1976 to 2010. Merging patent and regional socioeconomic data, this study explores the effects within 50 US states over more than three decades using Ordinary-Least-Square and Instrumental Variable estimations. It shows that MNEs significantly contribute to the concentration of patenting activity, an effect predominantly driven by domestic-owned MNEs. The impact differs across space: states with a higher share of MNEs experience a sharper increase in patenting concentration. Crucially, it is the non-MNE firms that feel the squeeze the most, with those in the middle of the patenting hierarchy producing fewer patents when domestic MNEs ramp up their activity. This suggests that economic globalisation, while enhancing innovation opportunities for some, reinforces competitive pressures and barriers for others. These findings offer a new perspective on the forces shaping regional innovation dynamics, highlighting the role of MNEs in both amplifying innovation gains and exacerbating disparities in knowledge production
Russo-Ukrainian war: the political economy of the present balance of forces
No full textThis paper examines the evolving political economy of the Russo-Ukrainian War, arguing that despite its asymmetric nature, the conflict has become more balanced due to Ukraine’s institutional resilience and consistent financial support from allies. Neither side currently has a viable path to total victory. Both economies have adopted forms of military Keynesianism, though in distinct ways shaped by regime type and external dependencies: Ukraine on allied funding, Russia on volatile oil rents. Ukraine has secured financing until 2027 and maintained monetary stability, while Russia faces growing economic risks, including a potential credit crunch and balance of payments crisis. War has reshaped both states’ capacity for autonomous organisation, central to mobilising resources and restructuring their economies. As global geopolitics fragment and protectionism rises, the prospects for peace are increasingly defined by economic pressures and shifting alliances. A ceasefire, if reached, is likely to be unstable, with Russia potentially maintaining a militarised economy. Ukraine, meanwhile, has shifted its focus from military breakthroughs to securing long-term security guarantees. The outcome of negotiations will hinge not only on military dynamics but also on the internal strains shaping each regime’s strategic calculus
Park pricing in theory and practice and implications for ecosystem and human health
No full textThough a rich literature addresses the theory of park pricing, less attention has been paid to the practical realities. In this narrative review article, we ask why the setting of national park entry fees varies in practice, and we link this back to the underlying theory, the empirical academic literature, and practical realities. Park entry pricing strategies tend to differ considerably in higher and lower-income countries, reflecting practical realities of how to fund a national park system. Parks in higher-income countries are often free at the point of entry, consistent with the efficient pricing of global public goods. In contrast, differential pricing for local and foreign tourists is common in lower-income countries, an example of price discrimination that increases overall park revenues. We highlight a number of areas for further research. First, the concept of fairness and equitable access is an important practical consideration, linked to who benefits from visiting parks versus who pays, but much more attention needs to be paid to this in the literature. Second, while there is increasing recognition of the importance of green spaces for health and well-being, the literature largely ignores how health considerations might influence park entry fees, suggesting that more research is needed at the nexus of pricing, health and well-being, and equitable access. Finally, many lower-income countries that have a high dependence on foreign visitor fees to fund their national park systems are vulnerable to global shocks, suggesting research is needed into how to increase long-term sustainability of funding sources
The impact of unpaid caring on cognitive function: a rapid review
No full textObjectives Our review aimed to examine the role of unpaid care in influencing cognitive function independently or via risk factors for dementia. Method This rapid review, registered in PROSPERO and following PRISMA guidelines, searched EMBASE, MEDLINE, and APA PsycINFO databases for longitudinal studies comparing dementia, cognitive function and associated risk factors for dementia between carers and non-carers. Studies were assessed for quality. Data were synthesised narratively. Results Five studies looked at cognitive function directly; others examined risk factors: depression, social isolation, physical activity, body-mass index, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, educational attainment, and alcohol consumption. Unpaid carers have increased risk of depression and social isolation, and younger carers have lower educational attainment. Studies evaluating the link between unpaid caring and cognitive decline suggest that caring at low and moderate intensities may act as a protective factor against cognitive decline, but not at higher intensities. Female gender and high-intensity caring significantly influence the strength of association between unpaid care and dementia risk factors. Conclusion The impact of unpaid caring on cognitive health is complex, influenced by factors like intensity of care and social and cultural context. Across all studies, high-intensity caring negatively impacts carers physical and mental health, which in turn affect their cognitive health