We are optimistic that the behavioral and psychological sciences can help solve complex global problems. Critically, our studies suggest that they'll be most impactful when culturally wise to the world's diversity. Where else might they be used?

What worked? We tracked women’s business success and food security over 12 months. As compared to a control condition, only the culturally wise "relational agency" intervention improved women’s economic outcomes. “Personal agency” did not.

We also tested a “personal agency” intervention derived from Western psychological literature. It emphasized how women can develop their livelihoods and advance their economic position through showing personal initiative, self-direction, and innovative thinking (see col A above)

We created a 25-minute “relational agency” intervention emphasizing how women can develop their livelihoods to help their family and community and in ways that allow them to maintain social harmony and show respect and generosity to others (see film images in col B)

Interviews (like the one conducted with coauthor Abdoulaye Sambo above) and surveys found Nigerien women viewed economic success as driven by respect and social harmony–more so than self-initiative or future mindedness. US respondents predicted the opposite.

Over 90% of psych research is based on Western, individualistic (WEIRD) populations. Are independence-oriented agency interventions enough to support poverty reduction in places like rural Niger? Or will they need to be designed to be wise to local models of agency?

Tackling psychosocial and capital constraints to alleviate poverty - Nature Psychosocial measures improve the cost-effectiveness of multi-faceted interventions against extreme poverty.

We embedded an RCT with 2,500+ women in a govt-run poverty-reduction program in Niger (nature.com/articles/s41...), one of the lowest income countries. We found that only interventions reflecting local interdependent agency—not Western-style independence—led to economic gains

How can psychology help fight poverty? Our
@pnas.org article shows how “culturally wise” interventions can support women’s agency and boost poverty reduction (Patrick Premand, Thomas Bossuroy, Abdoulaye Sambo, Hazel Markus, Greg Walton @stanforduniversity.bsky.social): t.co/maI5vf3meP