Doctoral Dissertation Research in Economics: Nudges in "Equilibrium"

Yale University, New Haven CT

Investigators

Abstract

Programs using mass media to promote health have been evaluated individually. While many of these programs have been shown to be effective, there is little research on how these programs interact with one another. This proposed research will study how different mass media programs to improve health interact with each other to affect other outcomes that were not targeted. It will develop a theory and test it with an experiment in which individuals are randomly reminded or incentivized to engage in one healthy behavior, two healthy behaviors, or nothing at all. By comparing outcomes across these groups, the study will discover whether these mechanisms cause interference between programs, and if so, which mechanisms are most important. This is the first study that uses theory and experiments to study the general mechanisms that may produce interactions among interventions. The results of this study promise to directly help the beneficiaries of programs that promote healthy (or otherwise beneficial) behaviors in underserved communities by enabling policy makers to coordinate programs more effectively. The results of this research will improve the performance of many government and business programs, thus improving the lives of many US citizens. This research will study whether there are mechanisms that cause behavior change campaigns to have spillovers or interactions, identify those mechanisms, and understand their implications in dynamic settings in different domains. Evidence of spillovers or interactions implies that campaigns can be made more effective through coordination. The research will take inventory of theories in economics and psychology that predict spillovers or interactions, organize them into a simple framework, and test the predictions of the framework with a field experiment. SMS reminder programs about one ``target'' behavior or two such programs will be sent to participants and compare responses to the effects on non-target behaviors to establish if interactions exist, and distinguish between several possible mechanisms. Two additional studies will: (i) explore how these mechanisms operate in a dynamic setting, and (ii) investigate when to expect spillovers or interactions. The insights of behavioral economics have led many governments to establish "Nudge Units" to apply behavioral insights to policy. The results of this research project will further enhance the use of nudges to improve policy effectiveness in the US and around the world. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation?s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.