MBB Lunch Series

The MBB Lunch Series is free and open to the Harvard community. For lunch, please RSVP.

Beliefs, Time Preference, and HIV
Kevin Carney
Graduate Student, Public Policy
This project explores whether time preferences — and specifically preferences over the timing of information — influence take-up decisions for medical testing. Preliminary evidence from Kenya suggests that some people have time-inconsistent preferences over HIV testing. People exhibit short-run impatience over HIV testing, and impatience increases when the option of immediate rapid testing is introduced. I discuss the role of beliefs and uncertainty in generating this result, as well as policy implications.

The Vulnerability Paradox in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Product of the Neurotic Treadmill?
Benjamin Bellet
Graduate Student, Psychology
For those who are disadvantaged socioeconomically, there is a higher risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following a traumatic event. However, countries at greater socioeconomic disadvantage have lower rates of PTSD in response to traumatic events. Why might this be? We propose a treadmill theory whereby individuals in relatively privileged groups have more permissive boundaries for what constitutes trauma due to low exposure to inoculating stressful events. These definitions may constitute a vulnerability to stressful events that could help to explain the vulnerability paradox.