Key Takeaways

  • In economics, move from scarcity and incentives to market models, then to macro indicators and policy tools.
  • In behavioral sciences, distinguish psychology, sociology, anthropology, and research-method concepts rather than treating them as one subject.
  • Many wrong answers in economics reverse the direction of a change in supply or demand.
  • Many wrong answers in behavioral sciences confuse correlation with causation or mix theories across disciplines.
Last updated: March 2026

Economics and Behavioral-Science Strategy

Economics Priorities

Master these cores:

  • scarcity, opportunity cost, and incentives
  • supply, demand, equilibrium, and market outcomes
  • inflation, unemployment, GDP, and business cycles
  • fiscal policy versus monetary policy
  • money, banking, comparative advantage, and trade

Behavioral-Sciences Priorities

Be ready to separate:

  • psychology from sociology
  • individual development from social structure
  • anthropology/archaeology from modern survey-based social science
  • experimental, observational, and correlational research designs

Fast Elimination Rule

In economics, ask what variable changed first. In behavioral-science items, ask what level of analysis the question is using: individual mind, social group, culture, or research design.

Test Your Knowledge

Which economics move is MOST useful when two answer choices both sound plausible?

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B
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D
Test Your Knowledge

A researcher randomly assigns participants to two groups and changes only one variable to test an effect. Which behavioral-science concept is MOST central here?

A
B
C
D
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