We review the vast literature on social preferences by assessing what is known about their fundamental properties, their distribution in the broader population, and their consequences for important economic and political behaviors. We provide, in particul...

www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/jel.20241391

Aggregate Shocks and the Formation of Preferences and Beliefs

By Paola Giuliano and Antonio Spilimbergo

Journal of Economic Literature, June 2025

A growing body of work highlights how aggregate shocks shape preferences and beliefs. This review synthesizes findings from sociology, social psychology, and economics to explore the significance of these shocks, how the period in which they are experienc...

www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/jel.20241674

Culture, Institutions, and Social Equilibria: A Framework

By Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson

Journal of Economic Literature, June 2025

This paper proposes a new framework for studying the interplay between culture and institutions. We interpret culture as a repertoire, consisting of (cultural) attributes and allowing rich cultural responses to political changes. Combinations of attribute...

www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/jel.20241680

Examiner and Judge Designs in Economics: A Practitioner's Guide

By Eric Chyn, Brigham Frandsen, and Emily Leslie

Journal of Economic Literature, June 2025

This article provides empirical researchers with an introduction and guide to research designs based on variation in judge and examiner tendencies to administer treatments or other interventions. We review the basic theory behind this research design, out...

www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/jel.20241719

Of Markets and Marriages: A Multidisciplinary, Multi-book Review Essay of Recent Work on the Causes of US Poverty

By Elizabeth Oltmans Ananat

Journal of Economic Literature, June 2025

How is it that in perhaps the richest country in the history of the world such a large number of people struggle to acquire the basic necessities of life? Clearly, merely increasing the total quantity of goods and services produced in the market does not ...

www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/jel.20241734

Consumer Credit Reporting Data

By Christa Gibbs, Benedict Guttman-Kenney, Donghoon Lee, Scott Nelson, Wilbert van der Klaauw, and Jialan Wang

Journal of Economic Literature, June 2025

Since the 2000s, economists across fields have increasingly used consumer credit reporting data for research. We introduce readers to the economics and institutional details of these data. Using examples from the literature, we provide practical guidance ...

www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/jel.20241737