Behavioural Insights Projects

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)

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

To gain insight into citizen perspectives on the themes of energy and climate, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate periodically conducts public research. The Public Monitor Climate and Energy 2021 focuses on knowledge, attitude and behaviour of citizens in the field of the climate and energy transition.

Institution: Ministry of Economic Affairs (MinEZ)

Team: Behavioural Insights Network (BIN NL)

PROJECT SUMMARY Text messages were delivered to parents of children from 3 to 5 years old enrolled in public preschools in Uruguay using a government mobile app. These messages targeted malleable factors producing students’ absences and sought to influence parent’s attitudes and beliefs about preschool attendance to increase children’s presence in the classroom. IMPACT Children in remote areas increased attendance by 1.5 days, suggesting an increase in cognitive development of 0.20 SD.…

Institution: Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)

Team: IDB Behavioral Economics Group

Oxera and the Centre for Experimental Social Sciences (CESS) conducted a behavioural experiment on behalf of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to identify the effectiveness of certain summary cost metrics in aiding consumer selection of income drawdown products

Institution: Oxera

In the study, the effectiveness of four reminder messages was evaluated through an online laboratory experiment involving 2,963 participants. The content of these messages was designed based on evidence from behavioural sciences, and their effect was contrasted with that of a simple, brief, and direct message (control message). The impact of the reminders was measured through four outcome variables: the action participants declared they would take after receiving the message, understanding and…

Institution: Servicio Nacional del Consumidor (SERNAC)

To support federal response efforts, Impact Canada is leading the implementation of the World Health Organization (WHO) Behavioural Insights (BI) Tool on COVID-19 in the Canadian context. This work is being led in collaboration with the Public Opinion Research Team within the Privy Council Office’s (PCO) Communications and Consultation Secretariat, which supports the Prime Minister’s Office in coordinating government communications in accordance with key priorities. Insights garnered will…

Institution: Privy Council Office

Team: Impact and Innovation Unit (IIU)

An ever-increasing number of AI ethicists can enumerate the most prominent risks; yet startlingly few psychologists, or other experts in behavioral science, are working on the project of aligning AI outcomes with fundamental ethical and safety principles. This knowledge gap is striking given the extraordinary investments being channeled into the technology’s ability to master and influence human behavior. In neglecting more than a century of relevant behavioral research, the ethical AI…

Institution: Other

Team: Research-to-Policy Collaboration

In line with the Government of Canada's National Adaptation Strategy, this project seeks to further understanding of Canadians’ awareness and adoption of measures intended to mitigate wildfire risk toward the end of supporting and empowering more widespread action. The study is a survey with an embedded randomized controlled trial component. The survey component of the study aims to address questions such as: 1. What are the barriers to more widespread adoption of wildland fire risk reduction…

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

Team: Impact and Innovation Unit (IIU)

Avoiding electrical waste and promoting the manufacture of and demand for sustainable electrical products are key goals for the Federal Government. To this end, transparency for consumers is to be improved. Whether a lifespan label for electrical products can help achieve this aim was tested in an empirical study. The findings show that a lifespan label would lead to 3 out of 100 consumers opting for a more expensive product with a longer lifespan. When the lifespan was combined with information…

Team: Behavioral Sciences Team