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Essay / The Influence of Economics on People's Behaviors
Viewing human behavior and society through the lens of economics is a great way to understand the world in a more rational and objective way. Looking at Maslow's hierarchy of needs, the first level of basic human needs revolves around economics. The very basis of human life is the need for food, water, shelter, clothing, security, health, resources and property. Once this has been established and built, and only afterward, can the individual seek to satisfy other needs for belonging, self-esteem, and self-actualization. Therefore, it is reasonable to say that people's behaviors are strongly influenced by the economy or by the resources they need to lead a relatively comfortable life. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay People's actions are limited by various variables. Income being a major variable in the actions of individuals. Think about this scenario for a moment. If an average lower-middle-class person suddenly received millions of dollars, their daily decisions in life would be drastically changed. On the one hand, they will likely improve their purchasing habits. They will start buying more expensive consumer goods, perhaps traveling more, and perhaps feeling more confident. Money plays a special role in people's lives and can definitely change the attitude, beliefs, actions and morality of individuals. Crime is an aspect of human behavior affected by economics or wealth. In countries and cities with poorer citizens, crime rates tend to be considerably higher. This could be because people feel like their basic needs are not being met, like food and shelter discussed in the previous paragraph. When a person's basic needs are not met and they feel cornered, crime seems like a justifiable way to cheat the system and gain the upper hand. We see it in drug markets, where people risk their freedom and their lives to make a profit. Spending on crime reduction can be changed in different ways. By increasing the sentences imposed on those found guilty, it is expected that crimes will decrease and therefore less funds would be needed to combat crime. It is astonishing to see the minds of criminals who take such high risks for monetary gain. One policy argument that could greatly undermine drug markets would be to simply allow certain drugs to be legal. This will create a new legal market that will emerge with the liberalization of marijuana. The United States has by far the largest incarcerated population of any country. If incarceration policies are linked to economics, then some policies must change, for example by using rehabilitation rather than harsh punishments for seemingly minor offenses. Every decision comes with baby cots. When it comes to human capital, or the ability of individuals to perform work and their production levels, many factors come into play. People make decisions based on the region of the country in which they have grew up, the socio-economic status of the family in which they grew up and other factors. These days, many people choose to go to college because an investment in education generally leads to a more lucrative career. Not only that,..