CL Pauwels at Large

I’ve long been intrigued by subliminal images and motivation. How do those subconscious pokes make us do what we do? The authors of Nudge: The Final Edition talk about specific ways outside influences direct our actions – sometimes to our benefit, but far too often, not so much.

We humans are a malleable bunch, and the science of “choice architecture” takes advantage of that. From end-caps in the grocery store to the order a cafeteria/buffet line is laid out, visual nudges affect our decision-making in ways we’re probably not even aware of.

Then there’s the little check boxes most of us ignore on websites and such. My own little village changed the round-up option on utility bills (where the difference helps others avoid shut-off) from opt-in to opt-out. According to Thaler and Sunstein, participation levels should rise dramatically because most of us are too lazy to make an actual opt-out decision: “You can often increase participation rates by 25 percent” by that seemingly minor change (11). Nudge calls this effort “libertarian paternalism,” defined as “relatively weak, soft, and nonintrusive…because choices are not blocked, fenced off, or significantly burdened.”

I’m still not sure how I feel about manipulating Springers – a generous bunch as a rule anyway – to be more generous, but “Leaders all over the world have knowledge of, and even expertise in, behavioral science and nudging,” so I guess it’s a moot point. But, as with so many other outside forces, being aware of their existence – and relative power – make it possible to resist when necessary.

The same with “sludge” – basically the opposite of a nudge. Sludge is “any aspect of choice architecture consisting of friction that makes it harder for people to obtain outcome that will make them better off” (153). Ever tried to cancel a subscription online, only to find the link buried deep in an obscure web page? If you understand why businesses (and governments) use sludge, it adds motivation to keep trying…at least for me.

And I still chuckle at “The Final Edition” subtitle – and the hard stop that puts on Thaler and Sunstein from nudging themselves into another update…an irony the authors readily admit!