How Can Governments and Businesses Avoid the ‘Big Mistake?’
He talked about how often policymakers, in his opinion, not only missed the power of social norms and influence, they often inadvertently used them in a way that actually backfired.
Government
The Behavioral Insights Team 5 Years On: A Conversation with Owain Service
Today, nearly 200 randomized control trials later and with their findings permeating virtually all areas of public policy, the creation of the BIT and the wedding of behavioral science and public policy might seem like forgone conclusions.
The High Cost of Not Doing Experiments
We can pay dearly, in blood, treasure, and well-being, for experiments that aren’t done. In the nearly fifty years that Head Start has been in existence, we have spent $200 billion on it.
Executive Order Formally Establishes US ‘Nudge Unit’
On Tuesday President Barack Obama issued an executive order formally establishing the White House Social and Behavioral Sciences Team while also directing federal agencies to examine how they can use behavioral science to improve outcomes for citizens across the United States.
Head of White House “Nudge Unit” Maya Shankar Speaks about Newly Formed Social and Behavioral Sciences Team
Public reaction to the news that the White House was in the process of setting up its own “Nudge Unit” was a mix between hopeful anticipation on the one hand and big-government alarmism on the other.
New Journal Helps Behavioral Scientists Find Their Way to Washington
When it comes to being heard in Washington, classical economists have long gotten their way. Behavioral scientists, on the other hand, haven’t proved so adept at getting their message across.