Behavioural Insights Projects

In this experiment, various emails were sent to students in senior general secondary education (HAVO) and preuniversity education (VWO) to inform them about open days of teacher training programmes. The subject line that most caught their attention was ‘Are you looking for job security, challenge and a wide range of career opportunities?’ as well as a subject line in which a role model was introduced. Where emails mention teachers' starting salaries, students most often click links to more…

Institution: Netherlands Ministry of Education, Culture and Science

Electricity bills are a key way to inform people about their plan and usage, but bills can be confusing and are not really useful to help people navigate the electricity market. BETA and the Department of the Environment and Energy ran a trial to test the impact of bill design on people’s confidence in their ability to look for a better offer and intention to do so. We drew on behavioural insights to design and test six electricity bills. We focussed on simplifying bill design to draw…

Institution: Prime Minister and Cabinet (PMC)

Team: Behavioural Economics Team of the Australian Government (BETA)

The purpose of this study is to better understand Canadian's perceptions, knowledge, and decision-making related to home energy labels. It will build on the findings of an initial survey that explored home energy label design elements and information content, as well as perceptions of the current EnerGuide label for homes. Extending this work, the present study will examine how different rating presentations may affect comprehension of home energy performance and which home energy label design…

Institution: Privy Council Office

Team: Impact and Innovation Unit (IIU)

In the spring of 2021, as COVID-19 vaccines became accessible to the US's general public, ideas42 and the Boston Transportation Department launched the FreeRide pilot program to encourage commuters to use transit (subway and bus) and bike share as they commute to work. The FreeRide program was designed to accomplish three main goals: • Support small businesses and employees who have endured economic hardship during the pandemic. • Shift employees away from single-occupancy vehicle use,…

Institution: Ideas42

Team: Ideas42

How can response rates to questionnaires be increased? In the first quarter of 2023, some of the participants in a CBS survey received a letter in which the call-to-action appeared as far as possible at the top of the letter. The other participants received standard letters. The analyses showed that the standard letters produced a significantly higher response rate than the letters in which the call-to-action was placed at the top. Why this experiment was conducted: high response rate is…

Institution: Statistics Netherlands (CBS)

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

OES is supporting the USAID-funded Integrated Family Planning Program (IFPP) in Mozambique led by Pathfinder International. The component of the IFPP that will be evaluated by OES is led by Population Services International (PSI). It aims to reach and engage urban women in Sofala and Nampula provinces at their doorstep with tailored family planning counseling specific to their needs, provided by family planning promoters. OES is supporting USAID/Mozambique efforts to increase the effectiveness…

Institution: General Services Administration (GSA)

Team: Office of Evaluation Sciences (OES)

This study examined how people respond to a new income plan for retirement, known as a Comprehensive Income Product for Retirement (CIPR). A CIPR is a composite retirement income product which is intended to provide a balance of income, risk management (for example, longevity risk management) and flexibility to retirees. In response to a Financial System Inquiry1 recommendation, the Government has agreed to facilitate superannuation trustees pre-selecting a CIPR for their members at retirement.…

Institution: Prime Minister and Cabinet (PMC)

Team: Behavioural Economics Team of the Australian Government (BETA)

This project was led with the French National Forestry Office (ONF), which is an institution responsible for the management of public forests, under the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food and the Ministry of Ecological Transition. Our common project has studied how to apply behavioral science to enhance user safety in forests. It resulted in the generation of 17 Nudges. Experimentation is expected to start spring 2022.

Institution: Edwige

A circular business model promotes reuse of products and materials. A case in point is a model where consumers return their jeans to the manufacturer after use. Which circular business model characteristics are consumers willing to accept right now, and what do they refuse? Acceptance of these models seems to increase if companies offer effective or appealing option combinations, such as monthly payment schedules and discounted returns. Why this experiment was conducted: to promote the circular…

Institution: Rijkswaterstaat (Netherlands Directorate-General for Public Works and Water Management)