|
on Nudge and Boosting |
|
Issue of 2025–12–15
four papers chosen by Marco Novarese, Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale |
| By: | Lemken, Dominic; Simonetti, Aline; Heinke, Gloria; Estevez, Ana |
| Keywords: | Marketing, Consumer/Household Economics |
| Date: | 2024 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ags:aaea24:343537 |
| By: | Jeannie Annan (International Rescue Committee); Estelle Koussoubé (World Bank); Joséphine Tassy (World Bank); Léa Rouanet (World Bank); Clara Delavallade (World Bank); David K. Evans (Center for Global Development) |
| Abstract: | Despite evidence of positive returns, many youth training programs in Sub-Saharan Africa have low take-up. Behavioral interventions, or nudges, have been proposed as low-cost tools to influence such decisions. This study reports on a randomized experiment in Côte d’Ivoire testing a behavioral nudge—varying the content and recipient of text message reminders—to increase enrollment in a youth employment program. We compare two framings—highlighting the free cost of the program versus the long-term career benefits—sent either to youth alone or to both youth and their nominated social contacts. Messages sent to youth alone have no impact. In contrast, targeting both youth and contacts significantly affects enrollment, with gendered effects: among young men, both messages reduce enrollment, while among young women, enrollment decreases when the message highlights free cost. These impacts are driven by youth with male contacts. Qualitative data suggest that trust and perceived program quality shape responsiveness, particularly among those unfamiliar with the program. The findings underscore how message framing and social context influence program take-up, and how misaligned messaging can discourage participation. |
| Keywords: | O15, J16, J24, D83 |
| Date: | 2025–12–05 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cgd:wpaper:737 |
| By: | Maryam Fazal; Kyohei Yamada (IUJ Research Institute, International University of Japan) |
| Abstract: | This study examines the impact of non-price interventions on the energy conservation behavior of residential consumers in Pakistan. Building upon research on descriptive social norms, we hypothesized that individuals would reduce their electricity use when informed that many others were doing so. To test this hypothesis, we conducted a randomized experiment with 128 participants in Islamabad City. In the first phase, participants completed an online survey and were randomly assigned to receive one of two messages in the survey: one indicating that many residents were increasing electricity use, and the other suggesting that many were conserving. Participants were then asked to report their intention to save electricity. In the second phase, we collected actual electricity usage and billing data. Contrary to our expectation, the group informed that others were increasing their electricity reduced their own consumption by 14%, and paid 18% less in bills, compared to the other group. While inconsistent with previous experimental studies of descriptive social norms, our findings suggest that non-price interventions can promote energy conservation. |
| Keywords: | Electricity; Descriptive social norms; Randomized experiment; Pakistan |
| Date: | 2025–12 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iuj:wpaper:ems_2025_06 |
| By: | Elacqua, Gregory; Kutscher, Macarena; Nascimento, Danielle; Dias, Isabella; Margitic, Juan Francisco |
| Abstract: | Despite improvements in access to information, digital platforms, and centralized school admission systems, many parents continue to choose seemingly lower-quality schools, often prioritizing proximity over academic performance. We examine the role of information provision in this context through a randomized controlled trial (RCT) within the centralized admission platform of Recife, Brazil testing whether personalized school recommendations influence parental choice. Specifically, we implemented two treatment arms: one offering recommendations that ranked schools by quality within a defined distance (quality treatment), and another ranking schools solely by proximity (distance treatment). While the overall impact of the treatments was limited, we do find meaningful positive effects among users who actively engaged (”compliers”) with the recommendations (1424% of families). Compliers in the quality treatment were more likely to select higher-performing schools, particularly among first-grade applicants and families without strong prior preferences. These findings underscore both the promise of digital nudges in improving school choices and the challenges of deploying such tools in recently centralized systems, where many families enter with preset preferences and limited familiarity with the process. |
| Keywords: | school choice;Information Provision;Digital Nudges;Randomized Controlled Trials;Centralized Admission Systems;Parental School Choice Behavior;Digital Nudges and Engagement;Challenges in Centralized Admission;Decision.making;Education, childhood, equality |
| JEL: | I21 I24 I28 D83 C93 |
| Date: | 2025–11 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:idb:brikps:14420 |