Nudge theory is a concept spanning behavioral economics, decision making, behavioral policy, social psychology and consumer behavior that proposes shaping the design of a decision environment, its choice architecture, as a way to influence the behavior and decisions of individuals or groups. A nudge works by adjusting how choices are presented rather than through education, legislation or direct enforcement. The concept was popularized by the 2008 book Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness, written by the behavioral economist Richard Thaler and the legal scholar Cass Sunstein, and it has since influenced government policymakers in Britain and the United States, with dedicated nudge units now operating at the national level in the United Kingdom, Germany and Japan among others, and at international bodies including the World Bank, the United Nations and the European Commission.
Facts
Partially Attested
Origin Year2008 is the year of the popularizing book, not necessarily the first use of the idea. Core ClaimAdaptive design of the decision environment (choice architecture) can influence the behavior and decisions of groups or individuals. 1 Connections
Associated With
Richard Thaler developed nudge theory by applying the heuristics-and-biases findings of Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky to policy design, crediting their work on cognitive biases as its behavioral-economics foundation.
Sources
1. Nudge theory, Wikipedia
Lead section, paragraph 1
proposes adaptive designs of the decision environment (choice architecture) as ways to influence the behavior and decision-making of groups or individuals.
Lead section, paragraph 2
The nudge concept was popularized in the 2008 book Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness, by behavioral economist Richard Thaler and legal scholar Cass Sunstein
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