Encouraging Altruism During a Pandemic with Dr. Erez Yoeli (podcast)

Research scientist Dr. Erez Yoeli is an economist by training, who specializes in altruism: understanding how it works, how to motivate people towards it, and how to promote more of it in the world.

The conversation featured in this podcast — the second in a special, 5-part series on COVID-19 —  examines the connection between economics, psychology and prosocial behavior. Richard Sergay and Dr. Yoeli discuss how we can harness the power of reputation and peer pressure to encourage cooperation and concern for the welfare of others.

Dr. Yoeli also reveals what surprised him most about observing behavior during the height of the pandemic, and offers suggestions to make the message of altruism appeal to everyone, even in a time when people are receiving conflicting messages about what is right.

Read the transcript from the interview conducted by journalist Richard Sergay, presented by podcast producer Tavia Gilbert. Featuring: Dr. Erez Yoeli, director of the Applied Cooperation Team (ACT) at MIT’s Sloan School of Management.

Built upon the award-winning video series of the same name, Templeton World Charity Foundation’s “Stories of Impact” podcast features stories of new scientific research on human flourishing that translate discoveries into practical tools. Bringing a mix of curiosity, compassion, and creativity, journalist Richard Sergay and producer Tavia Gilbert shine a spotlight on the human impact at the heart of cutting-edge social and scientific research projects supported by TWCF.