Comments on: “Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness,” by Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein http://www.nscblog.com/miscellaneous/nudge-improving-decisions-about-health-wealth-and-happiness-by-richard-h-thaler-and-cass-r-sunstein/ A Blog on Personal Leadership by the Founder of The Collier Companies Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:56:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Trayless Dining | NSCBlog http://www.nscblog.com/miscellaneous/nudge-improving-decisions-about-health-wealth-and-happiness-by-richard-h-thaler-and-cass-r-sunstein/comment-page-1/#comment-16986 Trayless Dining | NSCBlog Mon, 04 May 2009 13:28:37 +0000 http://www.nscblog.com/?p=416#comment-16986 [...] dining is an example of “nudging” (see blog post and the book, “Nudge” ), whereby relatively small changes in environment or context can create meaningful behavioral [...] [...] dining is an example of “nudging” (see blog post and the book, “Nudge” ), whereby relatively small changes in environment or context can create meaningful behavioral [...]

]]> By: Jackie http://www.nscblog.com/miscellaneous/nudge-improving-decisions-about-health-wealth-and-happiness-by-richard-h-thaler-and-cass-r-sunstein/comment-page-1/#comment-5302 Jackie Wed, 23 Jul 2008 14:53:38 +0000 http://www.nscblog.com/?p=416#comment-5302 I for one would love a world where the first choice presented to me was the best choice for me. 99% of my decisions are often based on convenience and ease of attainment. For example, it's easier to spend 5 minutes in a drive-thru lane at a fast food restaurant than to get out of my car and walk around the grocery store, stand in a check out line, drive home, prepare dinner, wash pots and pans, etc... (now try that with a two-year old by your side). Credit Cards are another culprit. Now, I'm not saying that each person should not be responsible for their own actions, but it absolutely drives me crazy when I am at a department store check out line and am asked if I'd like to "Save 10%" by opening a charge account? How many young students fall for this line of crap and then end up with 10+ cards, only to find out when it's too late how their credit has been impacted. Department store employees are often given incentives and at times even required to open a minimum of these lines of credit. On another note, how often are things like "FREE BEER" used to attract the student population to events? This is definitely not a nudge in the right direction. So how effective is a nudge in the right direction when the wrong direction (and often more glamorous path) is still in plain sight? Instant gratification is such a huge driving force that I think people will still go out of their way to do what’s “bad” and considerably more pleasurable, than what is “good” and more disciplined. While I love the example of the automatic enrollment in a company’s 401K, I still think that a person who has not come to terms with the importance of saving will immediately make the effort to un-enroll once they realize how much of their money will not be available for immediate use each paycheck. Bottom line, you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink. I think rather than just making the opportunity to make better choices easier, it would be beneficial to make the opportunity for bad choices more difficult, because if both are within reach, then it still comes down to the amount of discipline within each individual to make the better choice. And that is not something that the government or any business can impose. It begins at home, and is enhanced by the value system we internalize. If life in this world was not driven so much by the desire to attain worldly possessions and pleasures, then I think we would find that the best choices would already be a part of our default programming. [Matthew 6:19-21] "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." I for one would love a world where the first choice presented to me was the best choice for me. 99% of my decisions are often based on convenience and ease of attainment. For example, it’s easier to spend 5 minutes in a drive-thru lane at a fast food restaurant than to get out of my car and walk around the grocery store, stand in a check out line, drive home, prepare dinner, wash pots and pans, etc… (now try that with a two-year old by your side). Credit Cards are another culprit. Now, I’m not saying that each person should not be responsible for their own actions, but it absolutely drives me crazy when I am at a department store check out line and am asked if I’d like to “Save 10%” by opening a charge account? How many young students fall for this line of crap and then end up with 10+ cards, only to find out when it’s too late how their credit has been impacted. Department store employees are often given incentives and at times even required to open a minimum of these lines of credit. On another note, how often are things like “FREE BEER” used to attract the student population to events? This is definitely not a nudge in the right direction.

So how effective is a nudge in the right direction when the wrong direction (and often more glamorous path) is still in plain sight? Instant gratification is such a huge driving force that I think people will still go out of their way to do what’s “bad” and considerably more pleasurable, than what is “good” and more disciplined. While I love the example of the automatic enrollment in a company’s 401K, I still think that a person who has not come to terms with the importance of saving will immediately make the effort to un-enroll once they realize how much of their money will not be available for immediate use each paycheck. Bottom line, you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink. I think rather than just making the opportunity to make better choices easier, it would be beneficial to make the opportunity for bad choices more difficult, because if both are within reach, then it still comes down to the amount of discipline within each individual to make the better choice. And that is not something that the government or any business can impose. It begins at home, and is enhanced by the value system we internalize.

If life in this world was not driven so much by the desire to attain worldly possessions and pleasures, then I think we would find that the best choices would already be a part of our default programming.

[Matthew 6:19-21] “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

]]> By: Rob Myers http://www.nscblog.com/miscellaneous/nudge-improving-decisions-about-health-wealth-and-happiness-by-richard-h-thaler-and-cass-r-sunstein/comment-page-1/#comment-5294 Rob Myers Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:35:12 +0000 http://www.nscblog.com/?p=416#comment-5294 I was discussing this very issue with my brother last night, in regards to the local C.H.O.I.C.E.S program. He was proposing a similar "nudge" for the estimated 13,000 individuals who could be on the program but haven't signed up yet. My feelings on this are mixed to say the least. If a school lunch room wants to arrange their foods in such a way to make the healthier choice more likely then I say "why not?" However, I'm not sure I like government dictating "nudges" in private business; such as making McDonald's post caloric content on their menus. If customers want this (and vote with their dollars) then McDonald's will make the change voluntarily, or see its market share shrink and customers flee to Wendy's or others that listen to what they want. I agree; nudging is a powerful force and should be used by business and government to great effect. We should be vigilant though and keep an eye cocked towards the potential "subtle totalitarianism," indeed. I was discussing this very issue with my brother last night, in regards to the local C.H.O.I.C.E.S program. He was proposing a similar “nudge” for the estimated 13,000 individuals who could be on the program but haven’t signed up yet. My feelings on this are mixed to say the least.

If a school lunch room wants to arrange their foods in such a way to make the healthier choice more likely then I say “why not?”

However, I’m not sure I like government dictating “nudges” in private business; such as making McDonald’s post caloric content on their menus. If customers want this (and vote with their dollars) then McDonald’s will make the change voluntarily, or see its market share shrink and customers flee to Wendy’s or others that listen to what they want.

I agree; nudging is a powerful force and should be used by business and government to great effect. We should be vigilant though and keep an eye cocked towards the potential “subtle totalitarianism,” indeed.

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