Eldar Shafir

His work relies on the cognitive sciences, social psychology, and behavioral economics to study decision-making and the application of behavioral research to policy.  Contrary to standard assumptions of value maximization, people’s choices are influenced by decisional conflict, reliance on compelling reasons, and the context of decision.  Recently, Shafir and colleagues have applied related principles to the study of the psychology of scarcity. Having to juggle priorities in contexts with little slack reduces cognitive bandwidth, exacerbates short-term priorities, and can lead to spiraling poverty. In 2012 Shafir was appointed to President Obama’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability. In 2013 Foreign Policy Magazine named him one of 100 Leading Global Thinkers.