nudge theory Flashcards
nudges
small ways to influence behavior without limiting choices or changing rewards
why is it hard to compare them
isn’t enough clear data about how well nudges work
what does the study conclude when it comes to nudges for government and companies
government: much smaller
companies: much larger
why is for companies the nudges that influence behavior much bigger?
- amount of data used
- differences in how nudges are designed
- the tendency to publish only positive results
Nudge units
are teams that use behavioral science to test ways to improve government services
the nudge units conduct randomized controlled trials (RCTs), what is it
experiments designed to test if something works by comparing groups that receive different treatments (one gets the nudge and the other doesn’t)
on what kind of areas focus nudge units?
Revenue, debt and workforce
nudge units are conducted by?
government or applied teams
whats the average impact of nudge units
smaller average impact
scale interventions of nudge units
large populations in real-world government
nudge units face what kind of constraints?
institutional constraints
are the results more precise of nudge units
yes
what do nudge units prioritize
policy outcomes rather than fighuring out why nudges work
where do academic journals focus on?
health and environmental choices
academic journals: big or small impact
big impact
does impact of academic journals varies a lot
yes (heterogeneity)
academic journals: large or small controlled experiments
small controlled
focus on what behind nudges: academic journals
understanding the mechanisms
Why are the effect sizes larger in academic studies
Because of selective publication bias—academics often publish studies with big results and ignore smaller or insignificant findings.
What is the problem with academic studies on nudges?
They don’t fully reflect real-world conditions due to selective publication bias.
Why are Nudge Unit studies more reliable?
They are conducted in real-world settings, providing a more realistic and consistent picture of how nudges work in practice.
What does the conclusion recommend for governments and researchers?
Use Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) more widely to test policies and inform decision-making.
What is selective publication bias?
The tendency of researchers to publish studies with large, significant results while ignoring smaller or insignificant ones.
How do Nudge Unit and academic studies differ in usefulness for policy-making?
Nudge Unit studies are more practical for real-world policies, while academic studies may exaggerate results due to selective publication
