On the misplaced politics of behavioural policy interventions

David Tannenbaum (), Craig R. Fox and Todd Rogers
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David Tannenbaum: Eccles School of Business, University of Utah
Craig R. Fox: Anderson School of Management, University of California, Los Angeles
Todd Rogers: Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University

Nature Human Behaviour, 2017, vol. 1, issue 7, 1-7

Abstract: Abstract Government agencies around the world have begun to embrace the use of behavioural policy interventions (such as the strategic use of default options), which has inspired vigorous public discussion about the ethics of their use. Since any feasible policy requires some measure of public support, understanding when people find behavioural policy interventions acceptable is critical. We present experimental evidence for a ‘partisan nudge bias’ in both US adults and practising policymakers. Across a range of policy settings, people find the general use of behavioural interventions more ethical when illustrated by examples that accord with their politics, but view those same interventions as more unethical when illustrated by examples at odds with their politics. Importantly, these differences disappear when behavioural interventions are stripped of partisan cues, suggesting that acceptance of such policy tools is not an inherently partisan issue. Our results suggest that opposition to (or support for) behavioural policy interventions should not always be taken at face value, as people appear to conflate their attitudes about general purpose policy methods with their attitudes about specific policy objectives or policy sponsors.

Date: 2017
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DOI: 10.1038/s41562-017-0130

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