Michael Hallsworth, Phd Introduction to BIT
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Behavioral science and policy Michael Hallsworth, PhD Introduction to BIT • 2010: Founded in UK Cabinet Office the world’s first government institution dedicated to the application of behavioral insights • 2021: Social purpose company with 200 staff in offices in London, NYC, Sydney, Singapore, Toronto, Wellington, Paris. • We help organizations to apply findings from behavioral science, design interventions that tackle their challenges, and evaluate the results 2 People are interested in “behavioral insights”… Behavioural insights 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 2010-01 2011-01 2012-01 2013-01 2014-01 2015-01 2016-01 2017-01 2018-01 2019-01 … all around the world Out now from MIT Press Objectives of today 1. 1.LearnBehavioral a refined and morescience crisp definition asof whata lens through “Behaviouralwhich Insights” we reallysee means all government action 1. Understand the history of where this term came from– and how we fit into it 2. Nudge+, boost, as part of the range of options offered by behavioral science Behavioral Insights and policy making What can these “insights” offer for policy making? Instead of focusing on shifting consumer choices… Estimated impact of tax on sugared soft drinks 1800 200 Calories lost for soft drink consumers 1600 1,547 180 Tax Revenue 160 pounds) of (millions Revenue 1400 99% confidence region £155m 140 1200 120 1000 100 800 80 30 calories a day a calories 30 600 60 400 40 200 20 Average reduction in calories per person per month per person per calories in reduction Average 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Tax rate …focus on reformulation… Affect of reformulation on volume of Affect of reformulation on calories food consumed consumed 5000 3000 4500 2500 4000 3500 2000 3000 1500 2500 2000 1000 1500 Volume of food consumed (g) consumedof food Volume 1000 500 Calories consumed over two days over two consumedCalories 500 0 0 100% energy density 75 % energy density 100% energy density 75% energy density Rolls, B. J., Roe, L. S., & Meengs, J. S. (2006). Reductions in portion size and energy density of foods are additive and lead to sustained decreases in energy intake. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 83(1), 11-17. … by influencing the behavior of corporate actors Red Bull Pepsi 7 up Relentless Coca-Cola Tesco Tropical Juice Drink Tesco Cola Lucozade energy Dr Pepper Fanta Lipton Ice Tea Lemon Sprite Schweppes Lemonade Tango Lucozade sport Tesco Lemonade 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Sugar per 100ml (g) Thereby gearing the market more towards health Bandy, L. K., Scarborough, P., Harrington, R. A., Rayner, M., & Jebb, S. A. (2020). Reductions in sugar sales from soft drinks in the UK from 2015 to 2018. BMC Medicine, 18(1), 1-10. Pell, et al. (2021). Changes in soft drinks purchased by British households associated with the UK soft drinks industry levy: controlled interrupted time series analysis. British Medical Journal, 372. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/709008/Sugar_reduction_progress_report.pdf Behavioral insights: three core features “Improving the quality of “Tiered structure for “Automatic enrolment consumer information on sugared drinks tax” in pension schemes” energy switching” Strategic Scale of intervention ofScale “Changing the text in “Reducing friction costs “Designing roll-out appointment reminders to increase uptake of phasing for small to reduce no-shows” married tax allowance” businesses” Tactical Information provision Economic incentives Legislation & Regulation Intensity of intervention Behavioral science as a lens for policy making • Introduce new options • Enhance existing options • Reassess current activity “Behavioral Government” Objectives of today 1. When to nudge, when to boost? 1. 2.LearnWhen a refined anddo more they crisp overlap?definition of what “Behavioural Insights” really means 3. Difficulty of apprehending non- 1. Understandconscious the history behaviorof where this term came from– and how we fit into it 4. What are people’s “true” intentions? 5. Learning costs 6. Wider contribution to democracy [email protected] @mhallsworth www.michaelhallsworth.com.