Behavioural Insights Projects

An online experiment investigated how behavioural techniques could be used to increase the likelihood of companies with 2 to 10 employees applying for assistance under the Subsidy Scheme Improving Sustainability of SMEs (SVM ). The results show that an updated version of the website helps to clarify the subsidy. This effect is not reflected in the likelihood of these micro-SMEs actually applying for the subsidy. Why this experiment was conducted: SVM scheme not being fully utilised It is…

Institution: Netherlands Enterprise Agency

Are there ways to limit the accrual of excessive loan amounts by students? A letter sent to students with student loans who have received a supplementary grant increases the likelihood of them reducing their loan amounts. This increased likelihood translates to an annual average decrease of over € 150 in loan amounts for students receiving both a supplementary grant and a loan. Why this experiment was conducted: award of supplementary grant sometimes has little or no impact on loan…

Institution: Netherlands Ministry of Education, Culture and Science

This study aims to: 1) Use a Discrete Choice Experiment (or DCE) to explore and estimate Canadians’ preferences for different attributes of a potential ZEV purchase or lease. 2) Use an online RCT to explore the impact of varying messengers (government vs. personal testimonial) and varying messages (about driving range vs. affordability) on individuals' intent to switch to a ZEV 3) Explore Canadians’ knowledge of ZEVs 4) Generate baseline evidence other elements of decarbonized transport not…

Institution: Privy Council Office

Team: Impact and Innovation Unit (IIU)

Overall, this research investigated how to enhance the effectiveness of multi-stakeholder collaboration in tackling climate change. By leveraging two socio-psychological theories – Self-Affirmation Theory (SAT) and Moral Foundations Theory (MFT),this study equipped facilitators with strategies to reduce identity threats, foster constructive dialogs, and ultimately contribute to the development of more effective solutions in the environmental domain.

Institution: Other

Encouraging a more circular economy to lessen the impacts of climate change will require behavioural changes from Canadians. In partnership with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), we have launched a program of research to help meet some of Canada’s recycling targets—90% collection rate for plastic beverage containers, and these containers to have 50% recycled plastic content by 2030. This research will use insights and approaches from behavioural science to understand and increase…

Institution: Privy Council Office

Team: Impact and Innovation Unit (IIU)

To reduce the speed of motor vehicles on the Yarze highway, Nudge Lebanon, in collaboration with the Traffic Management Centre (TMC), placed a salient image of overlooking eyes, coupled with a message informing drivers that their speed was being monitored on a Variable Message Sign (VMS). Vehicles in treatment time slots, with speeds above 100km/h reduced their speed by around 11.5% compared to similar vehicles in the control group. Moreover, compared to the control group, the treatment was more…

Institution: Nudge Lebanon

Team: Nudge Lebanon

Land tax is payable in Queensland on properties valued over a certain threshold. The Queensland Office of State Revenue can approve land tax exemptions for a range of reasons that include landowners’ principal place of residence and business of primary production. Once claimed, the exemption continues to apply indefinitely, which is appropriate as long as landowners are entitled to continue to claim the exemption. However, landowners who claim the exemption are obligated to inform the…

Institution: Queensland government

A series of controlled randomised experiments was conducted to examine the savings effects for households of three types of energy consumption managers tools: an email + web application, an app installed on a smartphone or tablet and an in-home display. Energy savings could only be established for the in-home display: almost 7% on natural gas and over 2% on electricity consumption. Why this experiment was conducted: The Netherlands' climate targets Energy consumption by Dutch households…

Institution: PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency

The project has the objective of accompanying, complementing, and strengthening the jurisdictional efforts of re-linking and permanence of students in the educational system through the national program "Volvé a la escuela" (Go Back to School) and jurisdictional initiatives, based on simple and cost-effective behavioral science interventions such as cellphone messaging. A mobile messaging strategy (text message and/or Whatsapp) will be designed to encourage students and their families to…

Institution: Secretariat of Strategic Affairs of the Presidency of Argentina

Team: Behavioral Sciences and Public Policies Unit

The Program of Applied Research on Climate Action in Canada (PARCA Canada) combines behavioural science (BeSci) insights and methods with robust policy analysis to promote climate action. One of the main areas of focus involves the launch of a longitudinal survey that will, over time, collect data on research questions of interest to the promotion of climate action in Canada (e.g. transportation, home energy use, waste management, engagement with nature, preparedness for extreme weather,…

Institution: Privy Council Office

Team: Impact and Innovation Unit (IIU)