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Research papers on Nudges and behavioral economics

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  1. Nudging and Boosting: Steering or Empowering Good Decisions

    Ralph Hertwig, Till Grüne‐Yanoff · 2017 · Perspectives on Psychological Science · 807 citations

    In recent years, policy makers worldwide have begun to acknowledge the potential value of insights from psychology and behavioral economics into how people make decisions. These insights can inform the design of nonregulatory and nonmonetary policy interventions-as well as more traditional fiscal and coercive measures. To date, much of the discussion of behaviorally informed approaches has emphasized "nudges," that is, interventions designed to steer people in a particular direction while preserving their freedom of choice. Yet behavioral science also provides support for a distinct kind of nonfiscal and noncoercive intervention, namely, "boosts." The objective of boosts is to foster people'

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  2. The effectiveness of nudging: A meta-analysis of choice architecture interventions across behavioral domains

    Stéphanie Mertens, Mario Herberz, Ulf J.J. Hahnel, et al. · 2021 · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · 741 citations

    = 0.45 (95% CI [0.39, 0.52]). In addition, we find that the effectiveness of choice architecture interventions varies significantly as a function of technique and domain. Across behavioral domains, interventions that target the organization and structure of choice alternatives (decision structure) consistently outperform interventions that focus on the description of alternatives (decision information) or the reinforcement of behavioral intentions (decision assistance). Food choices are particularly responsive to choice architecture interventions, with effect sizes up to 2.5 times larger than those in other behavioral domains. Overall, choice architecture interventions affect behavior relati

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  5. NUDGING FOR HEALTH: ON PUBLIC POLICY AND DESIGNING CHOICE ARCHITECTURE

    Muireann Quigley · 2013 · Medical Law Review · 104 citations

    There have been recent policy moves aimed at encouraging individuals to lead healthier lives. The Cabinet Office has set up a 'nudge unit' with health as one of its priorities and behavioural approaches have started to be integrated into health-related domestic policy in a number of areas. Behavioural research has shown that that the way the environment is constructed can shape a person's choices within it. Thus, it is hoped that, by using insights from such research, people can be nudged towards making decisions which are better for their health. This article outlines how nudges can be conceived of as part of an expanding arsenal of health-affecting regulatory tools being used by the Govern

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  6. Stumble, Predict, Nudge: How Behavioral Economics Informs Law and Policy

    Orly Lobel, On Amir · 2009 · SSRN Electronic Journal · 77 citations

    Research in the field of behavioral economics indicates that humans stumble in their decisionmaking in predictable ways that can often be corrected by a gentle nudge from the appropriate regulatory authority. Two new books -- Dan Ariely's Predictably Irrational and Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein's Nudge -- recount the findings of behavioral research on predictable patterns in human decisionmaking and lay the foundation for regulation through choice architecture that recognizes these human stumbles. In this Review Essay, we provide a critical account of remaining gaps in behavioral economics research and suggest that some types of behavioral insights may be better translated into law and po

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  7. Improving Healthy Food Choices in Low-Income Settings in the United States Using Behavioral Economic-Based Adaptations to Choice Architecture

    Emma Anderson, Ruobin Wei, Binkai Liu, et al. · 2021 · Frontiers in Nutrition · 38 citations

    Low diet quality is a significant public health problem in the United States, especially among low-income populations. The food environment influences dietary choices. When applied to eating behavior, behavioral economics (BE) recognizes that decision biases instigated by a food environment saturated with unhealthy foods may lead people to purchase such foods, even when they possess the necessary information and skills to make healthy dietary choices. Choice architecture, a BE concept that involves modifying the appeal or availability of choices to “nudge” people toward a certain choice, retains freedom of choice but makes unhealthy options less convenient or visible. Choice architecture has

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  8. Nudge or Grudge?Choice Architecture and Parental Decision‐Making

    Jennifer Blumenthal‐Barby, Douglas J. Opel · 2018 · The Hastings Center Report · 33 citations

    Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein define a nudge as "any aspect of the choice architecture that alters people's behavior in a predictable way without forbidding any options or significantly changing their economic incentives." Much has been written about the ethics of nudging competent adult patients. Less has been written about the ethics of nudging surrogates' decision-making and how the ethical considerations and arguments in that context might differ. Even less has been written about nudging surrogate decision-making in the context of pediatrics, despite fundamental differences that exist between the pediatric and adult contexts. Yet, as the field of behavioral economics matures and its i

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  10. Nudging and the choice architecture of offending decisions

    Greg Pogarsky, Shaina Herman · 2019 · Criminology & Public Policy · 20 citations

    Research Summary Deterring crime is often considered to be a process of information transmission (e.g., Geerken & Gove, 1975). Economic notions on incentives and choice have meshed well with this perspective (Becker, 1968; Matsueda, 2013). Behavioral economics, however, represents a source of further insights on offender decision‐making, particularly regarding information transmission to promote conformity. Pogarsky, Roche, and Pickett (2018) reviewed behavioral economic studies of offender decision‐making in criminology. In their review, they focused on prospect theory (Kahneman & Tversky, 1979), a behavioral economic model of decision‐making. More recently, Kahneman (2003, 2011) highlighte

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  14. Healthy choice architecture in the supermarket: Does it work?

    A. Thorndike · 2020 · Social science & medicine · 13 citations

    Improving dietary quality of supermarket purchases could help reduce obesity and chronic diseases worldwide. In the past decade, there has been increasing academic interest in using behavioral economics strategies, primarily choice architecture, to "nudge" shoppers to make healthier purchases in supermarkets. In a recent study, Young et al. collaborated with a supermarket retailer to test the impact of prominent shelf placement on the sales of healthier breakfast cereals. This well-designed, 12-week product placement intervention did not increase sales of the healthier products. Does this mean healthy supermarket choice architecture does not work? Shelf placement interventions may not be abl

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  15. Effects of Behavioral Economics–Based Messaging on Appointment Scheduling Through Patient Portals and Appointment Completion: Observational Study

    Su-Ying Liang, C. Stults, V. Jones, et al. · 2021 · JMIR Human Factors · 11 citations

    Background Behavioral economics–based techniques have been an increasingly utilized method in health care to influence behavior change by modifying language in patient communication (through choice architecture and the framing of words). Patient portals are a key tool for facilitating patient engagement in their health, and interventions deployed via patient portals have been effective in improving utilization of preventive health services. Objective We examined the impacts of behavioral economics–based nudge health maintenance reminders on appointment scheduling through a patient portal and appointment completion for 2 preventive services: Medicare wellness visits and Pap smear. Methods We

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  17. Choice Architecture: Nudging for Sustainable Behavior

    Cristiana Cerqueira Leal, Benilde Maria do Nascimento Oliveira · 2020 · 9 citations

    Sustainable management demands an in-depth understanding of current global economic, social and environmental pressures. This chapter deals with the use of choice architecture and its potential to influence decision-making. It focuses primarily on the discussion of how nudges influence choice, their applications to design interventions to promote behavioral change, and the challenges and ethical concerns to individuals' freedom of choice. The major contribution of nudge theory was to aggregate and bring the concepts to the public debate and encourage its application by governments and policymakers in large-scale public policy. Nudging is often described as the application of behavioral econo

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  19. Choice Architecture and the Potential to Nudge Career Development at Scale

    R. Lent · 2024 · Journal of Career Assessment · 6 citations

    Choice architecture refers to features of the psychological, social, and physical environment that can affect the process and outcome of human decisions. With roots in cognitive psychology and behavioral economics, it has become a fertile topic of inquiry in a wide range of behavioral domains. Thaler and Sunstein (2008) popularized choice architecture and its concept of nudges, which are small environmental adjustments that can facilitate behavioral choices without limiting personal autonomy. Nudge interventions have been studied intensely in relation to health, financial, ecological, and consumer outcomes. In this article, I consider how the strategic use of digital nudges might be used in

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  20. Choice Architecture in Consumer Financial Decisions

    Min Zhao · 2018 · Review of Behavioral Economics · 5 citations

    Outstanding U.S. consumer credit totalled $3.84 trillion, emphasizing the fact that helping consumers effectively manage their personal finances has never been more important. Among the three pillars of financial well-being, this paper addresses the last pillar related to behavioral facilitation, given that one of the biggest challenges most consumers face is their inability to convert their best intentions into actual behavior. Specifically, this paper reviews and discusses various behavioral interventions in choice architecture designed to facilitate healthy financial behavior. These include enhancing physical height to increase level of thinking and long-term focus, incorporating incident

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  22. Integrating Behavioral Economics into Islamic Education Management: Promoting Ethical Decision-Making in School Leadership

    Ahmad Syadidunniam, Ahmad Royani, N. Ummah, et al. · 2026 · Journal of Psychological Insight · 3 citations

    Ethical leadership in Islamic educational management often faces challenges stemming from behavioral biases that affect decision-making. This study aims to analyze how nudge-based leadership can enhance the ethical and moral quality of school principals’ decision-making within an Islamic educational context. Employing a qualitative case study design, data were collected from school leaders and senior teachers through in-depth interviews, participatory observation, and document analysis, and analyzed using interpretative and content analysis within a behavioral ethical framework. The findings reveal that leadership practices based on moral modeling, moral reminders, and Islamic choice archite

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  23. An Effective Behavioral Nudge in the Operating Room

    N. Khandelwal, S. Sullivan · 2020 · Anesthesiology · 2 citations

    Default order-entry lists in electronic health records are a form of a behavioral nudge. The framing and order of choices often is purposeful, intended to nudge the user to a specific choice. A nudge is a behavioral economics concept defined as any aspect of the choice architecture that influences behavior in a predictable way, without restricting options or significantly changing economic incentives. Nudges are not mandates, but rather a way to influence behavior without coercion. In fact, recognizing the potential power of nudges to influence clinician and patient behavior, the University of Pennsylvania Health System has a dedicated nudge team (the Penn Medicine Nudge Unit) which systemat

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  24. Nudge: A Bridge Between Choice and Desired Decision

    Vikas Pujara, Bhavesh Prakash Joshi, Charu Virmani · 2022 · International Journal of Applied Behavioral Economics · 2 citations

    The "Real" decision often varies from the "Rational" decision. The Real or the actual behaviour of people is quite often biased and differs from the rational decision framework which has been put in place by classical economics. The irrational or undesired behaviour displayed by the people even in an informed public policy is a classic example of this. The purpose of this paper is to try and explain the classical nudge theory which ‘nudge’ the people towards a desirable behaviour. We need to contemplate if we could use it as a method to awaken the motivate us Indians to invest or if it could help us to devise policy or the marketing campaigns in such an effective manner that it could help us

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