Behavioral development economics applies theories and ideas from psychology and behavioral economics to the study of questions in development economics. We begin by examining a central puzzle in development economics: the existence of high rates of return without correspondingly rapid growth...

Collateral requirements play an important role in credit markets. This paper shows that the endowment effect—the phenomenon where owing a good increases one's valuation of it—inhibits demand for loans which use a borrower's existing assets as collateral. Using a field experiment in Kenya, we...

Collateral requirements play an important role in credit markets. This paper shows that the endowment effect--the phenomenon where owing a good increases one's valuation of it--inhibits demand for loans which use a borrower's existing assets as collateral. Using a field experiment in Kenya, we...