University of Toronto: how to subtly “nudge” people’s decisions

To direct children towards healthier food, a typical solution is to increase junk food prices (negative reinforcement), while nudging simply relocates healthy foods at eye level and junk food to less visible areas.

A new guide produced by behaviour economists at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Business begins with the standard definition of “nudging”.

It’s defined as “to seek the attention of by a push of the elbow. to prod lightly. urge into action.”

The nudging discussed in this new guide however is not about physically giving a slight push with your elbow. It’s more about gving a slight psychologically nudge towards a certain action or decision.

It’s a relatively recent term and concept in marketing and social policy. It differs from typical campaigns to get people to take a particular desired action because it doesn’t have typical negative or positive reinforcement aspects such as penalties or prizes.

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Dilip Soman, professor of marketing and behavioural science, at the University of Toronto © Rotman School of Management

Professor Dilip Soman at the Rotman School of Management in Toronto and co-author of the report says nudging is something that a few consumer products marketers have been practicing for years without possibly knowing it was nudging. That’s because they are trying to influence consumer buying habits, but without the force that governments wield. Governments try to influence societies’ habits either directly through laws, or punitive actions, such as additional taxes or increased fees.

Nudging is far more subtle and does not remove an individual’s options or freedom of choice. It involves no pedantic “teaching” strategy, nor penalties nor rewards. Rather, it uses psychology to subtly hint which is the desired choice or action.

Several examples of nudging are given in the guide. One example came from Copenhagen where an effort to reduce littering, involved no extra fines, or campaigns, but merely green footprints painted on the sidewalk leading toward garbage bins.  The nudge reduced litter by over 40%.

External links:
 Practitioner’s Guide to Nudging

RCI’s Marc Montgomery contacted the University of Toronto’s Dilip Soman, professor of marketing and behavioural science, and a co-author of the report called “A Practitioner’s Guide to Nudging”.

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Categories: Health, Society
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