On Skinner’s Pendulum : A Framework for Assessing S-Frame Hope

Unsatisfied with the effects of behavioral economics’ I-frame, “technology of behavior,” Chater and Loewenstein call for a pendulum swing back to the s-frame, suggesting that such an approach offers a more hopeful path toward societal well-being. In this commentary, I offer a framework to think about this pendulum swing, as well as the scope - and limits – of this hope.Commentary on Chater, N. & Loewenstein, G. (in press). The i-frame and the s-frame: How focusing on individual-level solutions has led behavioral public policy astray. Behavioral and Brain Sciences. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4046264