Behavioural Insights Projects

The Municipality of Dordrecht organised a competition titled The Cleanest Neighbourhood in Dordrecht. The aim was to get residents to place less rubbish next to underground waste containers. As a result of the experiment, the amount of waste left next to bins decreased and a new social norm was established. Why this experiment was conducted: rubbish left next to waste containers Bin liners and other bags containing residual and larger waste left next to underground containers rank amongst the…

Institution: Netherlands Municipality of Dordrecht

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)

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)

The Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Latvia collaborated with the World Bank on a holistic review of the country's tax system, an input to the design of a new, improved tax strategy. The State Revenue Service (SRS), Latvia's tax authority, worked with the Mind, Behavior, and Development (eMBeD) Unit at the World Bank to pilot a field experiment to increase tax compliance. The experiment involved sending preemptive, behaviorally-informed email messages to taxpayers with a share of income…

Institution: World Bank

Team: eMBeD, Mind Behaviour and Development team

In Haiti, more than 96 percent of the population is exposed to two or more natural hazards in theirlifetime. The human and economic impacts of these hazards, including hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, and landslides, have been severe. Between 1961 and 2012, the country experienced more than 180 disasters, causing the death of more than 240,000 people. Many disaster-related fatalities are preventable if people evacuate to a safer place in a timely fashion. However,in Haiti, due to a variety of…

Institution: World Bank

Team: eMBeD, Mind Behaviour and Development team

The Netherlands Authority for Consumers & Markets (ACM) conducted an experiment to investigate the effect of incomplete prices when booking a holiday home. Websites that display incomplete prices cause greater uncertainty, make choosing more difficult, undermine trust and give the feeling of deception compared to websites displaying transparent prices. Why this experiment was conducted: unclear picture of actual costs In 2021, the ACM conducted a study into effective transparency. The aim was…

Institution: Netherlands Authority for Consumers & Markets (ACM)

There is a human capital crisis looming in the public sector as fewer and fewer people show interest in government jobs. At the same time, many public sector organizations struggle with increasing the diversity of their workforce. Although many institutional forces contribute to the challenge, part of the solution is in how government recruits. This study presents the results of a field experiment aimed at attracting more and different people to apply to a police force by varying job…

Institution: University of California, Berkeley

Team: The People Lab

Building on BETA’s work with the Australian Financial Security Authority (AFSA) on applying behaviour science to the Personal Property Securities Register, BETA and AFSA are evaluating whether select recommendations make the registration process easier and if they lead to more accurate registrations.

Institution: Prime Minister and Cabinet (PMC)

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

The purpose of this survey is to better understand Canadians’ perceptions, knowledge and decision-making related to home energy labels and to explore different design features and information presentations that may drive energy-efficient choices.

Institution: Privy Council Office

Team: Impact and Innovation Unit (IIU)