Behavioural insights involves the study of human behaviour, often drawing on empirical research in fields including economics, psychology and sociology.
On this page:
Why you should use it
What it involves
What you'll get out of it
Ideal circumstances for use
Limitations
References, guides and key readings
Tools or concepts
Case studies
Centres of expertise
Community of practice
Why you should use it
Behavioural insights can be useful to inform policy by:
- improving policies through a strong understanding of how people think and behave
- understanding what drives behaviour
- identifying the biases that influence people’s decisions.
What it involves
Behavioural insights uses tools such as interviews, fieldwork, data analysis, experiments and frameworks to:
- have a deep understanding of what drives behaviour – for example, what contextual and behavioural factors drive people to respond as they currently do? How do responses differ within and across groups? What factors could we change to deliver a better outcome?
- test options – once potential changes are identified, options can be tested (in groups, in labs or in field trials) to determine what works best.
- better policy design – changes to policy settings proven through testing can be embedded in final policy recommendations, implemented, and spread.
How people make decisions is complex and the small details of policy implementation can make a big difference to its impact. A behavioural insights approach recognises this, and encourages the use of robust evaluations, such as randomised control trials to test what works.
What you'll get out of it
- Policies that are based on how people actually behave.
- Innovative proposals that challenge existing assumptions.
- Results that are more targeted and higher impact than many alternative methods.
- Evidence of what works.
Ideal circumstances for use
- You want to change the behaviour of people, groups, or organisations.
- You want to understand an issue or situation from the perspective of the people your policy will affect.
- Previous policies, incentives or approaches in your context have underperformed, but there is no general consensus on why.
- The policy is a good idea in theory, but not in practice.
Limitations
Using behavioural insights might not be helpful when:
- your policy problem has already been narrowly defined to exclude behavioural factors or you're limited in the policy responses or levers that can be used.
- you're unable to analyse end-user behaviour (e.g. due to ethical concerns or timeframes).
- when considering these limitations, it is also worth analysing the degree to which using pre-defined levers or not understanding end-user behaviour gives rise to its own risks and issues.
References, guides and key readings
Tools and Ethics for Applied Behavioural Insights: The BASIC Toolkit – OECD has developed a draft BI toolkit for policy makers with a step-by-step process for analysing a policy problem, building strategies, and developing behaviourally informed interventions.
Behavioural Insights and the rise of empirical government – Roundtable with Dr David Halpern, 2017.
Behavioural Government: Using behavioural science to improve how governments make decisions – UK Behavioural Insights Team, 2018.
Behavioural Insights Applied to Policy – European Report 2016 – This report from the European Commission includes a focus on the organisational structures and resources required for improving the uptake of behavioural insights.
World Development Report 2015: Mind, Society and Behaviour – World Bank report into applying behavioural insights in policy, including case studies.
A guide to reducing the effects of scarcity with simplification, timing and salience – This guide applies behavioural insights to provide practical tips and strategies to reduce the effects of scarcity when developing government services for people who are already under pressure.
Poverty and decision making – The UK takes a behavioural lens to understanding the drivers of poverty, and offers innovative policy ideas for tackling it.
Tools or concepts
EAST Framework – Practical tool for policy practitioners to consider applying behavioural insights in their work.
Guide to Developing Behavioural Interventions – Nine guiding questions to consider when developing behavioural interventions for randomised control trials.
Behavioural Insight Teams Barrier Identification Tool – In order to change behaviour, we need to first understand what barriers prevent people from adopting certain behaviours. This tool helps you do this.
Behavioural Change Models – A summary of different behavioural change models.
Case studies
Climate Change and Behaviour Change – Marcos Pelenur and Jo Bye from the Energy, Efficiency and Conservation Authority shared learnings and priorities in motivating a generation to take climate positive action.
Increasing Voter Turnout Using Behavioural Insights – Auckland Council conducted a review of international best practice in behavioural insights to consider ways to increase voter turnout.
Using behavioural insights to improve Kiwisaver outcomes and Encouraging Fund Choice in KiwiSaver – The Financial Markets Authority has two trials with KiwiSaver providers to see if they could increased the number of active fund choices that members made.
‘Nudging’ Visitors to Notice Safeswim Signs – Auckland Council ran a trial to see whether placement of pavement graphics would encourage more people to notice and read Safeswim signs.
Encouraging Sustainable Food Choices – Thea Knight from PwC discussed the insights from a behavioural based project for Auckland Council encouraging sustainable food choices.
Whāriki Haumaru: A partnered approach to clearing Warrants to Arrest – Kaori Takenaka and Caitlin Spence from Behavioural Science Aotearoa shared the findings of a project bringing together behavioural science and te ao Māori to clear Warrants to Arrest.
Centres of expertise
Teams based in Aotearoa
Behavioural Science Aotearoa – Ara Poutama Aotearoa, Department of Corrections (previously Ministry of Justice), New Zealand. This team works across the Justice Sector (Ministry of Justice, New Zealand Police, Department of Corrections, Oranga Tamariki – Ministry for Children, Crown Law Office and the Serious Fraud Office.)
Knowledge Auckland offers publications from the Auckland Council Research and Evaluation Unit, a team set up to work on encouraging more people to vote and prompting people to use energy more efficiently.
Teams based overseas
Behavioural Insights Unit (Victoria) – Department of Premier and Cabinet, Victoria, Australia.
Be Guided – a page of resources from the Behavioural Economics Team of the Australian Government – Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Australia.
Behavioural Insights Unit – Department of Premier and Cabinet, New South Wales, Australia.
Behavioural Science – The OECD behavioural science team has resources and examples of how behavioural science can be applied to policy challenges.
Communities of practice
New Zealand Behavioural Insights Community of Practice
The Behavioural Insights Community of Practice (known as BICoP) promotes the use of behavioural insights to support robust policy outcomes and creates a community where practitioners can share expertise and collaborate on projects.
To be included in future BICoP emails and events, email the Policy Project at [email protected]
Materials from previous events
Behavioural Science Service Update – Erica Voss, Establishment Manager, and Brendan Rose, Advisor, from the Behavioural Science Service shared how they came to establish a behavioural insights unit working across the justice sector. They explained how they applied a behavioural insights approach to recruiting the team, are establishing robust processes (including prioritisation of projects), and the next steps for the unit.
The establishment of behavioural insight units in three Australian governments – Brian Head and Stephen Jones shared the results of their research into the use of behavioural insights in the public sector in New South Wales, Victoria and the Commonwealth Government in Australia
Embedding the use of behavioural insights – Presenting on the challenges and lessons learned from the perspective of a cross agency behavioural insights group, dedicated behavioural insights team, and the use of experts from a behavioural consultancy.
EAST Framework – If you want to encourage a behaviour (nudge!), make it Easy, Attractive, Social and Timely (EAST)
Reducing Barriers to Electric Vehicle (EV) Uptake – Ed Hearnshaw and Mahesh Girvan – Ministry for the Environment
Why Small Details Matter – Lee McCauley – Behavioural Insights Ltd
Behavioural Insights Community of Practice – inaugural event – 19 April 2018