Nudging societally relevant behavior by promoting cognitive inferences

Abstract

Effective behavioral interventions are essential to address urgent societal challenges. Over the past decade, nudging interventions (i.e., arranging the environment to promote adaptive behavioral choices) have surged in popularity. Importantly, effective application of the nudging approach requires clear guiding principles with a firm basis in behavioral science. We present a framework for nudging interventions that builds on evidence about the goal-directed inferential processes underlying behavior (i.e., processes that involve context-dependent inferences about goals and the actions available to achieve these goals). We used this framework to develop nudging interventions that target context-relevant cognitive inferences. We examined the effectiveness of these inference nudging interventions for promoting two important types of societal behavior: pro-environmental actions and adherence to COVID-19 guidelines. As predicted, two online studies revealed that inference nudging interventions successfully increased energy conservation (Study 1) as well as social distancing during the COVID-19 crisis (Study 2). A field experiment found that inference nudging interventions increased hand disinfection in a real-life store during the COVID-19 crisis (Study 3). Our findings highlight the importance of applying state-of-the-art insights about the (inferential) determinants of behavior in behavior change interventions.

Does the Power of Social Example Fade? Nudge Effect of Social Information on Individual’s Donation Behaviors During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Moderated Mediation Model with Three-Wave Cross-Sectional Data

“…The experiment was designed as a two-stage give-or-take donation game, adapted from Dimant. 30 We conducted the same experiment with the three respective samples in April–June 2020, February–March 2021, and May 2022.…”

“…Thus, the nudge power of identical social information may differ in line with the severity of the disasters. For instance, Wang et al 30 found that the nudging effect of blood users’ demand information was enhanced as the COVID-19 pandemic processes to its peak. However, to our knowledge, no study has explored how the nudge power of identical social information on individuals’ donation behaviors varied with the status of the COVID-19.…”

Ecological Momentary Assessment and Personalized Networks in Cognitive Bias Modification Studies on Addiction: Advances and Challenges

“…Per these ideas, in recent years, it has been argued that all behaviors (except reflexes), including habitual behavior, are mediated by goal-directed and context-dependent inferential processes (Van Dessel et al, 2022). From this perspective, the mental system supports propositional representations and is geared to make (automatic) inferences (i.e., to activate propositional information based on its compatibility with other propositional information).…”

“…For instance, the training only involves a couple of contexts, behavioral choices, and virtual consequences to choose from and is implemented in an environment with a basic avatar. This approach is probably sub-optimal given that, in inferential theorizing, behavior change requires targeting relevant inferences within a person’s individual network of beliefs (Van Dessel et al, 2022). State-of-the-art approaches and technologies might be introduced to further improve the efficacy of ABC training (or other types of CBM), for example, by implementing training in a virtual reality (VR) setting to improve the immersiveness and reduce boredom.…”

A framework for application of consumer neuroscience in pro-environmental behavior change interventions

“…To this end, neuroscience tools can provide an additional implicit measurement when verbalized attitudes and intentions are not consistent with the performed behavior. Behavioral interventions have been focused on the final outcome and therefore do not contribute to the understanding of the mechanisms and factors that underlie the formation of behavior (Van Dessel et al, 2022 ). In order to explore the (implicit) steps before an action takes place, neuroscientific tools could provide an additional asset (Leeuwis et al, 2022 ).…”