Recommender systems are online algorithms that can help users, reducing complexity and search costs. But they also target and exploit behavioral biases. Recommender systems lend themselves to regulation through ‘budges’. … More Algorithms and Autonomy: Regulating Recommender Systems in the Age of Hyper-Nudging
Ivo Vlaev, Professor of Behavioural Science, University of Warwick New Year’s resolutions represent more than just a fleeting tradition; they offer a powerful opportunity for self-reflection and intentional growth. Rooted in six fundamental psychological needs shared by all humans, resolutions serve as a catalyst for meaningful change. Here’s why they matter and how they can … More Why New Year’s resolutions matter: The psychology behind the tradition
Communicators often use their intuitions to decide what to present, and they don’t always use numbers. Including numbers can have beneficial effects, for example in the willingness to vaccinate. In this blog Ellen Peters and Brittany Shoots-Reinhard share the lessons from 20 years of research into communicating with numbers. … More Communicating by Numbers: How and What
Nudges to make tax credit claims easier as an anti-poverty tactic just shift attention from the gorilla. The promotion of policies based on tweaking choice architecture risks becoming a new ‘trickle down’ mantra, for the sake of very marginal gains. Tania Burchardt responds to the article in the October 2022 issue of the journal by Kendra Tully “Odd bedfellows: How choice architecture can enhance autonomy and mitigate inequality” … More Did you miss the gorilla? Choice architecture is not the solution to inequality
What does a decade of attention to Choice Architecture in policy tell us about the effectiveness of interventions? Are some types of intervention more effective than others? Are choice architecture interventions more effective in some behavioural domains than others? In this blog the authors of a recent meta-analysis of the behavioural public policy literature covering past interventions reflect on their findings looking at the variations in effects and on publication bias in the choice architecture literature. They argue that regardless of absolute effect sizes, which need to be treated with some caution, the meta-analysis may be useful to guide policymakers in choices between types of interventions. … More Behaviour Change through Choice Architecture: Where do we stand?
Wei proposes a “Pay or Pledge” choice for gamblers. By creating a new “game within the game” gamblers would be helped to think about their game plans and stick to them. The blog is based on Wei’s 2020 prize-winning essay at the LSE … More Pay or Pledge: Winning in Gambling