Gary Becker

High school (ages 12+)
People & Society

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/gary-becker

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was Gary Becker born?December 2, 1930
2. Where was Gary Becker born?New York City, USA
3. What is Gary Becker known for?Rational addiction, human capital theory, economic analysis of discrimination and crime
4. What is the major awards?Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences (1992), Presidential Medal of Freedom (2007)
5. What did Gary Becker study?Gary Becker was an economist who used economic ideas to understand things like family life, crime, and discrimination.
6. Why did Gary Becker win a Nobel Prize?He showed that many human actions can be seen as smart choices that help people get what they want, which was a new way to look at economics.

Utility Maximization: The economic principle that individuals make choices to achieve the greatest possible satisfaction or benefit.
Human Capital Theory: The concept that education, skills, and health are economic assets that increase productivity and earning potential.
Rational Addiction: A model where individuals make a conscious choice to engage in addictive behavior, weighing present benefits against future costs.
Taste-Based Discrimination: Discrimination arising from prejudice, where individuals or firms incur costs to avoid interacting with certain groups.