Mary Steffel Assistant Professor of Marketing m.steffel@northeastern.edu 617.373.3859 Expertise consumer behavior, marketing, social psychology Mary Steffel in the Press How to master the art of delegation In a paper from 2016 by Mary Steffel of Northeastern University and her co-authors, volunteers were told that they had to book hotel rooms at a conference, either for their own use or for their boss, and asked them if they would like to reserve the rooms themselves or delegate the task to an office […] The Wedding Trend Couples Love and Guests Hate But for those couples who still wish to give a personally branded bottle opener that says, for example, “Love is brewing,” because you both really like beer, all might not be lost. Mary Steffel, an associate professor of marketing at Northeastern University, told me over email that her research shows that sharing something personal with […] Gift giving: Is it really the thought that counts? Psychologists weigh in. Still, the desire to be thoughtful can lead to pitfalls, such as overthinking, said Mary Steffel, an associate professor of marketing at Northeastern University who has studied gift giving. “Givers often end up overshooting, getting things that are maybe more unique or more narrow than what the receiver might want.” The Conversation Why people feel guilty about using effort-saving products when taking care of loved ones Mary Steffel Assistant Professor of Marketing, Northeastern University Opinion: How to give a fitness gift without becoming the Peloton husband Mary Steffel is an assistant professor of marketing at the D’Amore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University. The Conversation ‘Default’ choices have big impact, but how to make sure they’re used ethically? The power of defaults to guide people’s choices has made them an extremely popular way for policymakers and marketers alike to nudge people toward a particular decision. But it has also raised questions about how to ensure that defaults are used ethically and responsibly. Quartz Psychology explains why so many leaders pass the buck—and who is really to blame Leaders know all too well that with great power comes great responsibility. This mantra has been echoed by luminaries including Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and even Spiderman. It is the great charge of a leader to shoulder responsibility for making decisions that will have profound implications for many. But that doesn’t come […] The Perfect Gift? It’s the One They Asked For Mary Steffel, a psychologist at Northeastern University, and colleagues have found that the more specific a gift card is, the less likely it is to be redeemed. “If you’re not sure what your recipient wants,” Dr. Steffel advised, “give them the gift of flexibility.” Above all, remember this: The thought usually doesn’t count. This counterintuitive […] How to nudge your customers without pushing them away Designing decisions in a way that nudges but does not force consumers to make better choices offers a way to alleviate many of society’s problems. Defaults are one way to nudge consumers. They can automatically enroll people in a designated option unless someone makes an active decision to opt out, or they can nudge people […] Academic Minute: Passing the Buck Today on the Academic Minute, Mary Steffel, assistant professor of marketing at Northeastern University, examines why people pass the buck when it comes to making decisions. Learn more about the Academic Minute here. Mary Steffel for Northeastern Global News This holiday season, stop putting too much thought into ‘thoughtful’ gifts: Think gift cards This holiday season, stop putting too much thought into ‘thoughtful’ gifts: Think gift cards Go ahead and stock up on gift cards. As it turns out, seemingly impersonal gifts are received better than we might think, says Mary Steffel, a Northeastern professor who studies how consumers use their judgment. Behavioral science research proves you’re not being rude after all. Three simple tips for giving awesome holiday gifts this year Three simple tips for giving awesome holiday gifts this year Don’t overthink it, says Mary Steffel, an expert in the psychology of gift-giving, and don’t be afraid to ask your recipients exactly what they want. New research explores why people ‘pass the buck’ New research explores why people ‘pass the buck’ People are more likely to delegate decisions when faced with choices that affect others than when those decisions only affect themselves.
How to master the art of delegation In a paper from 2016 by Mary Steffel of Northeastern University and her co-authors, volunteers were told that they had to book hotel rooms at a conference, either for their own use or for their boss, and asked them if they would like to reserve the rooms themselves or delegate the task to an office […]
The Wedding Trend Couples Love and Guests Hate But for those couples who still wish to give a personally branded bottle opener that says, for example, “Love is brewing,” because you both really like beer, all might not be lost. Mary Steffel, an associate professor of marketing at Northeastern University, told me over email that her research shows that sharing something personal with […]
Gift giving: Is it really the thought that counts? Psychologists weigh in. Still, the desire to be thoughtful can lead to pitfalls, such as overthinking, said Mary Steffel, an associate professor of marketing at Northeastern University who has studied gift giving. “Givers often end up overshooting, getting things that are maybe more unique or more narrow than what the receiver might want.”
The Conversation Why people feel guilty about using effort-saving products when taking care of loved ones Mary Steffel Assistant Professor of Marketing, Northeastern University
Opinion: How to give a fitness gift without becoming the Peloton husband Mary Steffel is an assistant professor of marketing at the D’Amore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University.
The Conversation ‘Default’ choices have big impact, but how to make sure they’re used ethically? The power of defaults to guide people’s choices has made them an extremely popular way for policymakers and marketers alike to nudge people toward a particular decision. But it has also raised questions about how to ensure that defaults are used ethically and responsibly.
Quartz Psychology explains why so many leaders pass the buck—and who is really to blame Leaders know all too well that with great power comes great responsibility. This mantra has been echoed by luminaries including Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and even Spiderman. It is the great charge of a leader to shoulder responsibility for making decisions that will have profound implications for many. But that doesn’t come […]
The Perfect Gift? It’s the One They Asked For Mary Steffel, a psychologist at Northeastern University, and colleagues have found that the more specific a gift card is, the less likely it is to be redeemed. “If you’re not sure what your recipient wants,” Dr. Steffel advised, “give them the gift of flexibility.” Above all, remember this: The thought usually doesn’t count. This counterintuitive […]
How to nudge your customers without pushing them away Designing decisions in a way that nudges but does not force consumers to make better choices offers a way to alleviate many of society’s problems. Defaults are one way to nudge consumers. They can automatically enroll people in a designated option unless someone makes an active decision to opt out, or they can nudge people […]
Academic Minute: Passing the Buck Today on the Academic Minute, Mary Steffel, assistant professor of marketing at Northeastern University, examines why people pass the buck when it comes to making decisions. Learn more about the Academic Minute here.