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The Fine Line between Nudging and Nagging: Increasing Take-up Rates through Social Media Platforms

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Listed:
  • Urbina, Maria José

    (World Bank)

  • Moya, Andres

    (Universidad de los Andes)

  • Rozo, Sandra V.

    (World Bank)

Abstract

This study assesses if nudges in the form of informational videos sent via WhatsApp are effective in boosting take-up rates among vulnerable populations, specifically in the context of a regularization program for Venezuelan forced migrants in Colombia. The study randomly assigned 1,375 eligible migrants to receive one of three informational videos or be in a control group. The videos aimed at solving issues related to awareness, trust, and bottlenecks in the step-by-step registration. The main results indicate that program take-up rates for individuals who received any video, were eight percentage points lower compared to the control group. The effects are mostly driven by the treated individuals who received the links but did not watch the videos, who are older, busier, and with less internet access relative to other treated individuals. Additionally, the study evaluates the effectiveness of iterative WhatsApp surveys in collecting data from hard-to-reach populations. It finds that iterative WhatsApp surveys had low retention rates, and iterative contacts do not helped to reduce attrition.

Suggested Citation

  • Urbina, Maria José & Moya, Andres & Rozo, Sandra V., 2023. "The Fine Line between Nudging and Nagging: Increasing Take-up Rates through Social Media Platforms," IZA Discussion Papers 16521, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp16521
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    Cited by:

    1. Fathin Fakhriah Abdul Aziz, 2024. "Nudged to Class: Exploring Online Reminders through a Quasi-Experiment," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 8(12), pages 3340-3351, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    refugees; amnesties; program take-up;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • F02 - International Economics - - General - - - International Economic Order and Integration
    • F22 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Migration
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • R23 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population

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