Behavioural Insights Projects

How to increase diversity in the police is an unanswered question that has received significant political and media attention. One area of intervention is the recruitment process itself. This study reports the results of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) in a police force that was experiencing a disproportionate drop in minority applicants during one particular test. Drawing on insights from the literatures on stereotype threat, belonging uncertainty and values affirmation exercises, we…

Institution: University of California, Berkeley

Team: The People Lab

SEAI is conducting a monthly behavioural tracking survey to track everyday energy-related behaviours (home energy use and travel) in Ireland. The survey is being run to support ongoing government communications around the current energy crisis. We will run the survey over a given week (7-10 days) each month on a nationally representative adult sample. It is expected that the survey will run for 13 iterations initially. In order to capture an accurate snapshot of current energy-related…

Institution: Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI)

Team: SEAI Behavioural Economics Unit

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

Home Energy Label

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

Team: Behavioural Science Team

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

Institution: Other

Team: Social and Behavioural Energy Research

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)

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

To reduce calf mortality rates, the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) developed various letters for distribution amongst three subgroups of dairy farmers. The impact measurement shows that calf mortality decreased in the overall target group, although the letters did not produce any measurable outcomes. Why this experiment was conducted: calf rearing necessitates a significant amount of care Failure to ensure appropriate care for animals in dairy farming operations…

Institution: Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority

The problem In Victoria, families need to consent to organ donation. Nine out of 10 families will consent to organ donation if a person has registered their intent to donate. But while 69% of Australians say they would donate their organs, only 33% of the adult population has registered. This is an example of the intention-action gap. Behavioural insights concept: The intention-action gap refers to the difference between what people say they want to do, and what they actually do. It occurs in…

Institution: Victoria State Government

Team: Behavioural insights Unit (VicGov BIU)