Behavioural Insights Projects

This online experiment tested various ways in which sustainability measures for homeowners are presented on the website verbeterjehuis.nl, ‘improve your home’. The variant emphasising that the sustainability measures are 'recommended for your personal situation' proved to be most effective. This addition acts as an incentive to homeowners to install roof insulation or adopt other sustainability measures. Why this experiment was conducted: verbeterjehuis.nl website optimisation Homeowners…

Institution: Dutch Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations and Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy

The project involves a consultancy to diagnose and strengthen the behavioral incentive strategies of the Periodic Economic Benefits (BEPS) program by COLPENSIONES. Key Components: - Behavioral Diagnosis: Identify cognitive, social, and structural barriers limiting participation and savings in BEPS. - Analysis of Current Strategies: Evaluate the effectiveness of existing behavioral incentives, such as nudges, rewards, and simplification mechanisms. - Design of Recommendations: Propose…

Institution: Instintivo

Team: Instintivo

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…

Institution: Rijkswaterstaat's Circular Economy & Waste department

We all know that if a 13-year-old has his mind set on something, it is quite difficult to try to change it. This is exactly the type of challenge that the Ministry of Education in Peru is approaching with students in public schools and high schools, targeting those from low-income households in particular. Teenagers often have pre-conceived ideas about their own intelligence, which influences how they react to academic challenges. If a student thinks he is not smart enough, he believes there is…

Institution: World Bank

Team: eMBeD, Mind Behaviour and Development team

In a move aimed at improving how it registers its development cooperation activities, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs developed an application: IMPACT. This was successful in enabling budget holders to report activities more correctly: activities now have shorter names and are reported in English more often than previously. However, budget holders continue to use non-standard abbreviations. Why this experiment was conducted: reports do not always comply with appropriate standards The Ministry…

Institution: Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Behaviorally informed messages have had demonstrated success in increasing tax compliance in multiple regional settings. In Indonesia, which has the largest economy in Southeast Asia, a trial from the Directorate General of Taxes (DGT) and World Bank teams looked at whether behaviorally informed messages and materials can impact tax compliance and payment rates among small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The results showed, to get delinquent firms to pay their taxes, information is not enough -…

Institution: World Bank

Team: eMBeD, Mind Behaviour and Development team

Online experiment to explore the effect of notifications on security behaviour. Both increased secure behavior – but the coping message significantly more so. The coping message was also as effective as both messages combined, but not so the threat appeal. Risk attitudes, age and country had a significant effect on behavior.

Institution: European Commission

Team: JRC Competence Centre on Behavioural Insights

An online experiment with EU consumers was run to assess the relative effectiveness of three sustainability labelling approaches: (1) positive labels - only identifying products with the best sustainability performance, (2) negative labels - only identifying products with the worst sustainability performance, and (3) graded labels - conveying the relative sustainability of all products. Results suggest that graded labels are the most effective to steer consumer toward more sustainable purchase…

Institution: European Commission

Team: JRC Competence Centre on Behavioural Insights

Home Energy label

Institution: Impact and Innovation Hub (IIU)- Impact Canada

Team: Behavioral Sciences Team

In a pre-registered experiment, we tested whether expert endorsement increases the effectiveness of debunking messages about COVID-19 vaccines. We monitored a sample of 2,277 people in Italy through a longitudinal study along the salient phases of the vaccination campaign. Participants received a series of messages endorsed by either medical researchers (experimental group) or by generic others (control). In order to minimise demand effects, we collected participants’ responses always at ten…

Institution: Vita-salute San Raffaele University