Give yourself a nudge in the right direction

 Give yourself a nudge in the right direction.

 

Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein's 2008 book, Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness brought the nudge theory to prominence. 

 

Thaler, a professor of economics and behavioral science at the University of Chicago, says that you can positively change other people's behavior (or your own) by using motivational techniques most people respond to -- such as the need to fit in with social norms. Thaler won the 2017 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences for his "contributions to behavioral economics.”

 

Thaler and Sunstein defined their concept as the following: 

 

A nudge, as we will use the term, is any aspect of the choice architecture that alters people's behavior in a predictable way without forbidding any options or significantly changing their economic incentives. To count as a mere nudge, the intervention must be easy and cheap to avoid. Nudges are not mandates. Putting fruit at eye level counts as a nudge. Banning junk food does not.

 

Get people (or yourself) to do what you want with a 'nudge.' Here's how

By Sandee LaMotte, CNN

October 12, 2021

https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/12/health/nudge-healthy-behavior-wellness/index.html

 

The Power of Nudges

Every time you make a decision, there are subtle factors beyond your control that steer your choice. The way the options are laid out has a significant impact on the choices we make. Once we understand how these so-called “nudges” work, we can use them to improve our lives.

 

What makes "nudges" different from laws, rules and overt manipulation is that people always have a choice -- they can decide to do or not do the suggested behavior. There are distinct ways we can harness the power of the nudge to encourage those we love to adopt healthier behaviors and we can even use it on ourselves.

 

Dr. Sanjay Gupta interviewed Katy Milkman, a behavioral scientist at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. She has written a new book called "How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be."

 

What is a nudge?

Katy Milkman: My definition of a nudge is any tool used to influence someone's behavior that doesn't rely on a standard economic lever -- that doesn't use incentives or information to influence people. If I fine you for not doing it, if I restrict you, if I say it's illegal to do it, or if I give you a free concert ticket if you do it, those are not nudges. Those are are good old-fashioned, traditional tools of economics. However, if I change the layout of a cafeteria to put healthy food up front, that's a nudge. 

 

What are some of the most effective nudges?

Milkman: There is one clear top tool, and that's The Default. It's our behavioral science blockbuster. It almost always changes behavior, at times immensely. Employers often use default settings as a nudge: "We enrolled you in our 401k program, but you can opt out if you don't want it by visiting this website and taking these actions."

 

Default settings are a fairly blunt nudge, that turns out to have a huge impact. In the case of auto-enrollment for retirement savings, a classic study shows that auto-enrolling people in a 401k plan but letting them opt out can produce nearly a 40% boost in enrollment rates.

 

You can choose which nudge to use depending on the behavior you're hoping to change: Why doesn't this person want to sign up for the gym? Why won't your spouse cook dinner?

 

Nudging behaviors in a positive direction works best when you match your problem and solution. For example, if someone has just forgetting to, then good old-fashioned reminders work well. Reminders are highly effective in many situations, such as nudging medication adherence, boosting savings and even for encouraging vaccinations.

But not everything is about forgetting. Many failures to get to the gym aren't because people forgot it because lots of people just don't like going to the gym!

 

CNN: What's the best way to use a reminder for myself or my family?

Time your reminder to the behavior action. Telling your partner in the morning to stop by the store in the afternoon will not be very effective, but sending them a text just as they get into their car after work will be.

Research shows getting people to make concrete "when, where, and how you'll get there" statements substantially increase follow-through on everything from getting a cancer screening to turning out to vote. When you want to nudge a behavior, prompt your child to tell you the date and time when they plan to return the library book, how they will get to the library. We nudge ourselves every time we plan our meals and create a grocery list. 

 

CNN: What's a great nudge to help my family adopt healthier habits?

Inviting people to make a future choice that will take effect later is a powerful nudge. When making immediate choices we tend to make less healthy choices. We want that instant hit of gratification from pizza that isn't so healthy long term. Quick, easy decisions are focused on solving only the immediate problem. When you make decisions in advance you are more likely to make better choices. If you and your partner plan all the meals for next week, you're nudging yourself toward healthier decisions.

Of course, you might veer off the plan and just order pizza, but there is some degree of cost that you incur when you throw that food away. There is also guilt about not keeping your commitment. So, you're much more likely to eat that healthy food than you would have been if you hadn't invested in meal planning up-front.

 

CNN: Can nudge theory help me convince a skeptical loved one to consider my point of view on politics or vaccines?

If you are randomly assigned a debate position opposite your views, you will start to align more with whatever randomly assigned position you had to take. It's called the advocacy effect: After you advocate for something, you believe in it more, even if you were opposed to it in the past. Example: You have an employee who's not super enthusiastic about a business decision that you believe is the right way to go. If you ask them to do the research and make a presentation advocating in favor of that position, they are likely to become more open to it. If you don’t like to eat fish but advocate eating more fish to your partner you will believe that eating more fish is in your best interests.

 

CNN: Can nudge theory be misused?

Absolutely. For example, I do not want someone to sell me cigarettes. I don't want them to want to sell my family cigarettes. But what if they tell me, "I have cigarettes reserved for you, for everyone in your family. Everyone in your neighborhood is smoking cigarettes right now." That's what I would say is "nudging for evil." That's a challenge with all influence tactics, and something I think we must be wary of as we use these tools for the public good. This example works for all recreational drug use. 

You have the choice to do what's encouraged -- or not -- without incurring any sort of official cost. 

 

My favorite nudge is the charity donation box at checkout stands where you can simply drop your change as a donation. 

 

I’m still working on nudges to create a cooperative relationship with Wild Child and Dictator. Always allowing them to have the option to opt out is new territory for this former all or nothing thinking person. I do find them happier and more cooperative since I have been intentionally listening to their views and finding ways to meet their needs. Planning meals that meet both their desires is possible. One meal out of seven with sweet, salty, fatty yum for Wild Child is balanced by limited portions for Dictator. Fried eggs with one slice of French toast and 1 Tbsp of pancake syrup is a viable option for both of them.  Dictator held tightly to the all or nothing mindset. One slip and the wheels came off the bus. Now she can see the journey as a success even when the desired behavior is not chosen. That works for her because she can finally see the deviation in behavior as the exception to the ordinary. I promised that I would negotiate the duration and extent of the behavior with Wild Child. A great quote from SP comes to mind. Failure? Of course not. It was just a muffin. Let it go and keep on keeping on. Another benefit of negotiation is that Wild Child doesn’t feel overwhelming deprivation. Wild Child is feeling happy because she gets her beach time on a regular basis. Salt air is as delicious as dessert and she trusts me to be on the lookout for eye candy whenever we go. Here’s your eye candy treat for today.

When I think back to following my strict eating plan and overeating dressing less salads and vegetables to at least feel comfortable, I feel sorry for myself. That only created years of misery and failed journeys. Somehow, I missed the connection on how to create a happy way to eat, lose weight and meet all those inner needs at the same time. I always tried to force myself to comply rather than negotiate a way forward. Dieting means being really hard on yourself. Negotiated healthy eating feels so easy and peaceful.

I’ve lost over 30 pounds and am approaching that magic number where my diet has stalled. This time, I feel fully capable and confident of moving forward. Hearing your success made me a believer and kept me trying new an different approaches until I finally found my way. Thank you for your helping hands and the nudge in the right direction.