Behavioural Insights Projects

Differences in the composition of seemingly identical branded food products (DC-SIP) has been a source of growing concern in the EU in recent years. This was particularly the case after tests conducted in several Member States (MS) confirmed the presence of differences in composition of some branded food products sold across different Member States. This report aims to contribute to the existing studies by verifying whether the presence of DC-SIP influences consumer preferences and willingness…

Institution: European Commission

Team: JRC Competence Centre on Behavioural Insights

The Ontario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD) seeks to remove barriers to apprenticeship enrolment, training, and program completion as part of their mandate to increase the skilled trades workforce in the province. Amongst other strategies, these efforts have led to an expansion of existing grant schemes that aim to offset some of the costs of training and encourage training completion. In collaboration with MLITSD, the Ontario Behavioural Insights Unit…

Institution: Ontario Public Service (OPS)

Team: Ontario Behavioural Insights Unit

This project aims to improve the effectiveness of medicines policy, develop a strategy for the adaptation of new medicines entering the system, focus on the behavior of selected stakeholder groups, and improve the effectiveness of existing medicines in the system.

Institution: Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic

Team: Behavioral and Experimental Economics Team (BEET)

Not all UWV clients who receive unemployment benefit post their CVs on werk.nl. This prevents them from being found or matched for a job. Would it help to send them a reminder to their personal Work Folder as well as a text message? Yes it would: this experiment shows that five times more clients are then prompted to put their CV online, compared to clients who are not sent a reminder. Why this experiment was conducted: missing CVs 25% of jobseekers on unemployment benefit who are asked to post…

Institution: Netherlands Employee Insurance Agency (UWV)

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

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.

Institution: Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI)

Team: ESRI Behavioural Research Unit

Methods Two preregistered randomized controlled trials (N = 253 and N = 674) measured consumption in a lab and the home environment. Cues were salient, labeled stripes that demarcated single portions. Participants were randomized to cue condition or control. Consumption was measured without awareness. Results The main preregistered effect of the visual cue was not statistically significant. There was some variation by subgroup. In Study 1, men were more likely to eat the whole can of potato…

Institution: Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI)

Team: ESRI Behavioural Research Unit

- There is need for organ donors. - According to public opinion polls, approximately 84% of Canadians support organ and tissue donation but only 43% report to have registered.[1,2] - In British Columbia, Canada, Internal operational data indicates that, between 2016 and 2017, 24,303 organ donation registrations took place through Service BC centres. This number dropped to 14,860 in 2019. - Considering these circumstances, Service BC has partnered with the BC Behavioural Insights Group to develop…

Institution: British Columbia Behavioural Insights Group (BC BIG)

Team: British Columbia Behavioural Insights Group (BC BIG)

Challenge At West Kentucky Community & Technical College (WKCTC), many students were failing or withdrawing from courses, but few used the free tutoring services available on campus. Additionally, faculty had the potential to play a large role in helping facilitate student engagement in tutoring services through referrals, but they weren’t involved enough to have an impact. Design To better connect students to campus tutoring services, a series of nine behaviorally designed emails were sent to…

Institution: Ideas42

Team: Ideas42

Using a place-based approach and working with profiled local communities in Coventry, we prototype and test a new experimental methodology with elements of design thinking to better understand barriers to engagement with retrofit measures designed to reduce household carbon emissions and alleviate fuel poverty. We partner with Coventry City Council, a local school and artists to deliver a pilot scheme in the Radford area of Coventry and aim in future to expand the project to additional areas…

Institution: Other

Team: Lory Barile, Bret Willers (Head of Climate Change and Sustainability, Coventry), St. Augustine’s Primary Catholic School in Coventry, and artists at Real Art, Coventry.