Study outcomes:

Do people spend less time working and more time taking care of family members? Do people drop out of the workforce or work fewer hours and go to school or pursue additional training? Do they take a lower-paying job that they enjoy more? Using state-of-the-art passive data collection, validated with time use surveys, we will examine how recipients of monthly unconditional cash transfers spend their time.

Are there changes in individual's stress or anxiety levels? Are participants able to buy healthier food, purchase a gym membership, spend more time with their friends and family, or go to the doctor regularly for preventative care? Through mental health surveys developed by psychologists and physical health measures conducted at the study’s beginning and end, we measured changes in mental and physical health.

Do people feel happier, healthier, more secure, or more hopeful about the future? Do people report a reduction in subjective well-being? We measured these outcomes through subjective well-being surveys and in-person in-depth interviews.

Are people more resilient and better able to handle unexpected expenses like medical bills, car repairs, or other financial emergencies? Do people pursue behaviors that promote economic self-sufficiency? Do they track expenses and put aside money into savings? Using transaction level credit and debit data, credit bureau reports, and surveys about expenditures from consenting participants, we obtained a comprehensive picture of participants' financial health. This level of detail is unprecedented in a study of unconditional cash.

A burgeoning literature on “scarcity” suggests that the condition of scarcity —having less when you need more — creates a distinct psychology that causes individuals to make suboptimal decisions. So far, most studies on scarcity have relied on short-term experimentally induced stressors on time or money. By measuring time and risk preferences throughout the course of our study, we are able to see how long-term conditions affect decision-making.

Does monthly unconditional cash change the time people spend on volunteering in their community or participating in civic, political, or religious groups? 

Criminal activity produces large negative externalities for society and often negatively impacts offenders’ and victims’ lives and families forever. Do unconditional cash transfers impact crime by shifting incentives, situations, or relationships for individuals?

Do parents have more time to spend reading with their kids or helping them with homework? Are there changes to spending on food, daycare, or activities?