Nudges Work (and practitioners know exactly how well)
Foreword
At TDL, our goal is to make behavioral science accessible to the masses. This article is part of a series on cutting edge research that has the potential to create positive social impact. While the research is inherently specific, we believe that the insights gleaned from each piece in this series are relevant to behavioral science practitioners in many different fields. As a socially conscious applied research firm, we are always looking for ways to translate science into impact. If you would like to chat with us about a potential collaboration, feel free to contact us.
Introduction
Behavioral science is opening up new lines of inquiry across all sorts of areas, both in academia and in the public sector. One of the places that behavioral science has been most effective is in public policy. Most famously represented by the Behavioral Insights Team, behavioral scientists are changing the content and delivery of policy all over the globe. As a socially-conscious applied research firm, TDL is interested in using empathy, technology, and design-thinking to promote better outcomes in many aspects of society, from health to education to the economic empowerment of disadvantaged groups. To amplify these impacts even further, we reach out to experts currently conducting research in areas that engage behavioral science in the pursuit of socially conscious goals.
With this in mind, The Decision Lab touched base with Elizabeth Linos and Stefano DellaVigna, two prominent academics who study economics, public policy and behavioral science.
Dr. Elizabeth Linos is an assistant professor of public policy at UC Berkeley. Her research lies at the intersection of public management and behavioral science, which involves using tools from behavioral science to improve government service delivery. She was formerly the VP and Head of Research and Evaluation at the Behavioral Insights Team in North America, where she worked with government agencies in the US and the UK to improve programs using behavioral science and to build capacity around rigorous evaluation.
Dr. Stefano DellaVigna is the Daniel Koshland, Sr. Distinguished Professor of Economics and Professor of Business Administration at the University of California, Berkeley. He is the co-director of the Initiative for Behavioral Economics and Finance and a co-editor of the American Economics Review. He has studied the economics of the media, the design of model-based field experiments, the analysis of scientific journals, and reference-dependence for unemployed workers.
In their article, Dr. Linos and Dr. DellaVigna investigated the effectiveness of nudging based on data provided by two of the largest Nudge units in North America.
A full version of the article is available here: https://eml.berkeley.edu/~sdellavi/wp/NudgeToScale2020-05-09.pdf
About the Authors
Elizabeth Linos
Dr. Elizabeth Linos is an assistant professor of public policy at UC Berkeley. Her research lies at the intersection of public management and behavioral science, which involves using tools from behavioral science to improve government service delivery. She was formerly the VP and Head of Research and Evaluation at the Behavioral Insights Team in North America, where she worked with government agencies in the US and the UK to improve programs using behavioral science and to build capacity around rigorous evaluation.
Nathan Collett
Nathan Collett studies decision-making and philosophy at McGill University. Experiences that inform his interdisciplinary mindset include a fellowship in the Research Group on Constitutional Studies, research at the Montreal Neurological Institute, a Harvard University architecture program, a fascination with modern physics, and several years as a technical director, program coordinator, and counselor at a youth-run summer camp on Gabriola Island. An upcoming academic project will focus on the political and philosophical consequences of emerging findings in behavioral science. He grew up in British Columbia, spending roughly equal time reading and exploring the outdoors, which ensured a lasting appreciation for nature. He prioritizes creativity, inclusion, sustainability, and integrity in all of his work.
Stefano DellaVigna
Dr. Stefano DellaVigna is the Daniel Koshland, Sr. Distinguished Professor of Economics and Professor of Business Administration at the University of California, Berkeley. He is the co-director of the Initiative for Behavioral Economics and Finance and a co-editor of the American Economics Review. He has studied the economics of the media, the design of model-based field experiments, the analysis of scientific journals, and reference-dependence for unemployed workers.
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I was blown away with their application and translation of behavioral science into practice. They took a very complex ecosystem and created a series of interventions using an innovative mix of the latest research and creative client co-creation. I was so impressed at the final product they created, which was hugely comprehensive despite the large scope of the client being of the world's most far-reaching and best known consumer brands. I'm excited to see what we can create together in the future.
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OUR CLIENT SUCCESS
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Annual Revenue Increase
By launching a behavioral science practice at the core of the organization, we helped one of the largest insurers in North America realize $30M increase in annual revenue.
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Increase in Monthly Users
By redesigning North America's first national digital platform for mental health, we achieved a 52% lift in monthly users and an 83% improvement on clinical assessment.
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Reduction In Design Time
By designing a new process and getting buy-in from the C-Suite team, we helped one of the largest smartphone manufacturers in the world reduce software design time by 75%.
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Reduction in Client Drop-Off
By implementing targeted nudges based on proactive interventions, we reduced drop-off rates for 450,000 clients belonging to USA's oldest debt consolidation organizations by 46%
