TY - JOUR
T1 - Trusting Nudges?
T2 - Lessons from an International Survey
AU - Sunstein, Cass R.
AU - Reisch, Lucia A.
AU - Kaiser, Micha
PY - 2019/10
Y1 - 2019/10
N2 - In the past decade, policymakers have increasingly used behaviourally informed policies, including ‘nudges,’ to produce desirable social outcomes. But do people actually endorse those policies? This study reports on nationally representative surveys in five countries (Belgium, Denmark, Germany, South Korea, and the US) carried out in 2017/2018. We investigate whether people in these countries approve of a list of 15 nudges regarding health, the environment, and safety issues. A particular focus is whether trust in public institutions is a potential mediator of approval. The study confirms this correlation. We also find strong majority support of all nudges in the five countries. Our findings in general, and about trust in particular, suggest the importance not only of ensuring that behaviourally informed policies are effective, but also of developing them transparently and openly, and with an opportunity for members of the public to engage and to express their concerns.
AB - In the past decade, policymakers have increasingly used behaviourally informed policies, including ‘nudges,’ to produce desirable social outcomes. But do people actually endorse those policies? This study reports on nationally representative surveys in five countries (Belgium, Denmark, Germany, South Korea, and the US) carried out in 2017/2018. We investigate whether people in these countries approve of a list of 15 nudges regarding health, the environment, and safety issues. A particular focus is whether trust in public institutions is a potential mediator of approval. The study confirms this correlation. We also find strong majority support of all nudges in the five countries. Our findings in general, and about trust in particular, suggest the importance not only of ensuring that behaviourally informed policies are effective, but also of developing them transparently and openly, and with an opportunity for members of the public to engage and to express their concerns.
KW - Behavioural public policy
KW - Choice architecture
KW - Nudge
KW - Online representative survey
KW - Public approval
KW - Trust
KW - Behavioural public policy
KW - Choice architecture
KW - Nudge
KW - Online representative survey
KW - Public approval
KW - Trust
U2 - 10.1080/13501763.2018.1531912
DO - 10.1080/13501763.2018.1531912
M3 - Journal article
SN - 1350-1763
VL - 26
SP - 1417
EP - 1443
JO - Journal of European Public Policy
JF - Journal of European Public Policy
IS - 10
ER -