Online experiment tested two novel public health messages on social distancing.
•Messages focused on potential to infect vulnerable people or many people.
•Participants (N = 500) randomized to see control or (one of two) treatment posters.
•Behavioral intentions and acceptability judgements of behaviors measured later.
•Both posters increased caution with respect to social distancing.
Behavioural Insights Projects
Discover projects applying behavioural science to policy from around the world. Add your own projects, whether completed or still ongoing, to contribute knowledge on BI applications across different countries, policy areas, and topics of interest.
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PROJECT SUMMARY
Arizona State University freshmen students eligible for the Student Engagement and Employment Development Plan (SEED), a work-study program, received emails designed to emphasize the benefits of joining the program and eliminate hassles in the application process.
IMPACT
The redesigned emails increased the number of students applying for SEED jobs by 3 percentage points, from 9% to 12% of students.
Source: B-Hub
BI Project
Feel & act green: can compliments about sustainable behaviour lead to the next sustainable…
Rijkswaterstaat (the Directorate-General for Public Works and Water Management) wants to induce behavioural change in several areas. The circular economy is one example. A study examined whether consumers will make more sustainable choices if they have been complimented on their past actions or behaviour that were environmentally friendly or sustainable. This proved to be the case.
Why this experiment was conducted: additional incentive for sustainable behaviour
Behavioural change is…
Repairability of laptop computers: the Behavioral Sciences team of the interministerial department for transformation is piloting a study on the display of an index intended to clarify consumer choice. The objective: to support the General Commission for Sustainable Development (CGDD) in the implementation of this new tool.
BI Project
Filing tax returns correctly and on time: Is there value in expressing thanks to citizens and…
Are people more likely to file their tax returns correctly if they receive a thank-you in advance or afterwards? Analyses show that thank-you messages have no effect on compliance behaviour.
Why this experiment was conducted: positive alternative sought
To encourage citizens' tax compliance (i.e., paying their taxes on time and correctly), it is occasional practice to emphasise the risk of checks and fines in case of non-compliance. One drawback of this deterrent method is that it can damage…
Smart energy services and demand flexibility are increasingly important topics. Levels of awareness in an Irish context are uncertain, but engagement is low. We test different ways of framing information on engagement and intention to be flexible. We record flexibility preferences by activity and flexibility mechanisms.
Pacific Island Nations are facing a crisis of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) - chronic diseases which are the result of a combination of genetic, physiological, environmental and behavioural facts. NCDs are the leading cause of mortality in the region, accounting for 75% of deaths. Unhealthy diets in particular have been recognized as a risk factor for high rates of obesity. Residents of the Pacific Island Nations have some of the highest rates of obesity in the world, with 92.9% and 80.7% of…
The study aims to identify barriers and trade-offs faced by consumers when deciding whether to engage in the circular economy. In particular, it explores decisions whether to buy a more or a less durable good, and whether to have a good repaired or to discard it and buy a replacement. It establishes the relative importance of economic, social and psychological factors that govern how consumers engage in the circular economy. Finally, it proposes policy tools to enable and encourage consumers to…
This study focused on switching in payment accounts and mortgages, exploring the reasons why consumers do not switch and possible behavioural remedies.
Voting is a public good in that it benefits society and is an important part of a functioning democracy. Yet, many people fail to cast their ballot on election day because the individual benefits from voting are limited. Generally, people contribute more to public goods when their behavior is made more observable to others. However, voting is inherently private: very few people observe whether you actually show up on election day. In addition, existing channels used to encourage people to vote,…