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Why do Social Nudges Actually Work? Theoretical and Experimental Elements from a Randomized Controlled Trial with Bordeaux Winegrowers

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Listed:
  • Yann Raineau
  • Éric GIRAUD-HÉRAUD

Abstract

Nudges, known to bring about behavioral change, are today a controversial public policy tool. Grievances most often concern their ephemeral scope or legitimacy, but these complaints are rarely based on a detailed understanding of how they work, which considerably limits their critical analysis. In this paper, we mobilize Akerlof’s (1997) model of social distance to better understand the effectiveness of informational nudges. We then show how implicit cognitive biases remain the main source of performance, leading us to renewed ethical considerations. We illustrate our conjectures with a randomized controlled trial in the context of pesticide use in agriculture.

Suggested Citation

  • Yann Raineau & Éric GIRAUD-HÉRAUD, 2021. "Why do Social Nudges Actually Work? Theoretical and Experimental Elements from a Randomized Controlled Trial with Bordeaux Winegrowers," Bordeaux Economics Working Papers 2021-22, Bordeaux School of Economics (BSE).
    • Handle: RePEc:grt:bdxewp:2021-22
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    File URL: http://bordeauxeconomicswp.u-bordeaux.fr/2021/2021-22.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    nudges; RCT; farmer behavior; social norms; ethics of public interventions;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • Q15 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Land Ownership and Tenure; Land Reform; Land Use; Irrigation; Agriculture and Environment

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