Stefanie Stantcheva

Stefanie Stantcheva

@s-stantcheva.bsky.social

4.3K followers73 following151 posts

Stefanie Stantcheva reposted

IMO this is the most striking finding in this terrific paper— Gun owners (LFAO, red circles) are much less worried about their gun being used to hurt their children or others (Question B)

Stefanie Stantcheva@s-stantcheva.bsky.social

What stops some people from owning guns? Perceived costs differ markedly. Only 27% of owners worry about children accessing their gun vs. 70% of uninterested non-owners. [6/19]

Overall, Americans share a common goal — safety — yet disagree about the means. Although these disagreements appear entrenched, people remain receptive to alternatives that might command broader agreement. [18/19]

(Very) rough back-of-the-envelope calculations suggest promoting NLFAs could prevent up to 8% of school shootings & 7% of child firearm-related suicides & accidental deaths, through shifts in storage behavior & substitution. [16/19]

One key insight from this work is disagreement stems in part from different beliefs about the safety frontier (what can create safety), not fundamentally different goals (most want safety). Beliefs can potentially be shifted, while preferences might be harder to move. [17/19]

Adding a Sean Hannity endorsement to the NLFA info produces larger & more persistent effects, including increased support for rules for buying lethal firearms & for safe storage policies. An endorsement by someone who owns and talks about firearms seems to matter [14/19]

Owners relinquishing firearms voluntarily appears unrealistic given the underlying quest for safety and concerns. The more tractable margins (that still matter a lot)? Safe storage & non-lethal substitution for additional purchases. [15/19]

Our non-lethal firearm treatment — showing gun owners one non-lethal firearm (brand: Byrna) — raises belief that NLFAs are good replacements, interest in purchasing one & willingness to store lethal guns safely. [13/19]

We organize these patterns through a framework that emphasizes the "Safety Possibilities Frontier" (SPF) — the safety outcomes achievable with different tools. Our descriptive analysis shows owners & non-owners perceive this frontier very differently. [10/19]

Our descriptive evidence points to beliefs about the frontier as a key driver of disagreement. Our experiments aim to shift this perceived SPF — by informing people about private costs of guns & about non-lethal alternatives. [11/19]

Groups also diverge on social costs: non-owners are far more likely to believe gun ownership increases crime, murders, suicides & school shootings. Owners are the least likely to hold these views. [8/19]

Importantly, there is widespread unawareness of non-lethal alternatives. Only 4% of owners have one & only 20% had heard of a specific one. Yet 43% say they would prefer a firearm that incapacitates rather than kills. ⬇️ [9/19]

Strikingly, demand is asymmetric: 1/3 of non-owners are interested in acquiring a gun, but only 7% of owners would consider reducing their holdings even with a non-lethal alternative. 62% are considering acquiring more. [4/19]1

Both owners & uninterested non-owners feel similarly safe in daily life (~80%). But interested non-owners feel much less safe (58%) & trust police slightly less — they have an unmet demand for safety. [5/19]

We survey 5,400+ US respondents, gun owners & non-owners, combined with randomized experiments. Within non-owners, we distinguish those interested in acquiring a gun (1/3 of them!) from those not interested. [2/19]

**Safety** is THE overriding motivation. >80% of gun owners cite protecting their family or themselves as the main reason for ownership. Among interested non-owners, 56% cite family protection & 34% self-protection. ⬇️ [3/19]

"To understand America today, study the zero-sum mindset." My piece in @theeconomistevents.bsky.social this week on how zero-sum thinking arises and why it matters so much for policy and politics. Based on our research at the Social Economics Lab. www.economist.com/by-invitatio...

economist.comTo understand America today, study the zero-sum mindset, writes Stefanie StantchevaYoung people and city-dwellers are among those most likely to see one group’s gain as another’s loss

Stefanie Stantcheva reposted

Join us in sending huge congratulations to @harvard.edu professor @s-stantcheva.bsky.social on this accomplishment! 🎉🙌 Stefanie was also one of the first #EGgrantee(s), and her EG-funded research on the effects of taxation on innovation is referenced as a major contribution to the field. #EconSky

AEA Information@aeainformation.bsky.social

Congratulations to Stefanie Stantcheva (@s-stantcheva.bsky.social) of @harvard.edu, winner of the 2025 John Bates Clark Medal! #econsky www.aeaweb.org/about-aea/ho...

Stefanie Stantcheva reposted

👏 Big congratulations to @s-stantcheva.bsky.social for being named the 2025 Clark Medalist! Her research bridges theory, data, and public opinion—shaping the future of economic policy. #ClarkMedal #Economics #PolicyResearch #Harvard #econsky 🔗Read more: inomics.com/news/stefani...

inomics.comStefanie Stantcheva named Clark Medalist 2025 | INOMICSStefanie Stantcheva, an accomplished economist, has been named the Clark Medalist for 2025 for her significant contributions to the field of public economics. 

Stefanie Stantcheva reposted

Did you know that @qjeharvard.bsky.social is edited by an award-winning economist? 🥇 We're thrilled to share some of @s-stantcheva.bsky.social's expert research with you on the back of this prestigious award. Dive in and let us know what you learn: academic.oup.com/qje/article-...

AEA Information@aeainformation.bsky.social

Congratulations to Stefanie Stantcheva (@s-stantcheva.bsky.social) of @harvard.edu, winner of the 2025 John Bates Clark Medal! #econsky www.aeaweb.org/about-aea/ho...

Stefanie Stantcheva reposted

Huge congratulations to #CIDFacultyAffiliate Stefanie Stantcheva (@s-stantcheva.bsky.social) for being awarded the 2025 Clark Medal from the American Economics Association. Well deserved!

AEA Information@aeainformation.bsky.social

Congratulations to Stefanie Stantcheva (@s-stantcheva.bsky.social) of @harvard.edu, winner of the 2025 John Bates Clark Medal! #econsky www.aeaweb.org/about-aea/ho...

Stefanie Stantcheva reposted

Deeply honored and humbled by this recognition from the @aeainformation.bsky.social. I owe so much to my co-authors, colleagues, mentors, students & many others: support, inspiration, generosity. Endlessly grateful for all I have learned from you & hope to continue contributing to our field

AEA Information@aeainformation.bsky.social

Congratulations to Stefanie Stantcheva (@s-stantcheva.bsky.social) of @harvard.edu, winner of the 2025 John Bates Clark Medal! #econsky www.aeaweb.org/about-aea/ho...

One challenge for trade policy, is that the benefits to consumers (like lower prices) feel vague & abstract—it's hard to see what we'd lose without free trade. Job threats feel immediate, driving support for protectionism. More recent on views on trade👇

Stefanie Stantcheva@s-stantcheva.bsky.social

1/19: Seems timely to share a paper which explores how people perceive & understand trade and trade policies. Which factors shape the support for different trade policies? Thread below with the key takeaways #EconTwitter 🧵, and full paper here: socialeconomicslab.org/understandin...