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Applying Nudge to Public Health Policy: Practical Examples and Tips for Designing Nudge Interventions

Author

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  • Hiroshi Murayama

    (Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan
    Yokohama Behavioral insights and Design Team, Kanagawa 231-0005, Japan)

  • Yusuke Takagi

    (Yokohama Behavioral insights and Design Team, Kanagawa 231-0005, Japan
    City of Yokohama, Yokohama 231-0005, Japan)

  • Hirokazu Tsuda

    (Ministry of Finance, Tokyo 100-8940, Japan
    PolicyGarage, Kanagawa 231-0005, Japan)

  • Yuri Kato

    (PolicyGarage, Kanagawa 231-0005, Japan
    Ministry of the Environment, Tokyo 100-8975, Japan)

Abstract

Given the cost-effective nature of promoting desirable behaviors among individuals and societies, national and local governments have widely applied the nudge concept in various public policy fields. This viewpoint briefly explains the concept of nudge and presents the trend of nudge application in public health policy with illustrative examples. While most academic evidence on its effectiveness has been derived from Western countries, there is a significant accumulation of cases of nudge practices in non-Western countries, including the Western Pacific nations. This viewpoint also provides tips for designing nudge interventions. We introduce a simple, three-step procedure for this purpose: (1) identify target behavior, (2) determine friction and fuel of the behavior, and (3) design and implement a nudge—as well as the behavioral process map and the EAST framework.

Suggested Citation

  • Hiroshi Murayama & Yusuke Takagi & Hirokazu Tsuda & Yuri Kato, 2023. "Applying Nudge to Public Health Policy: Practical Examples and Tips for Designing Nudge Interventions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-11, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:5:p:3962-:d:1077678
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Stefano DellaVigna & Elizabeth Linos, 2022. "RCTs to Scale: Comprehensive Evidence From Two Nudge Units," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 90(1), pages 81-116, January.
    2. David Oliver Kasdan, 2020. "Do Koreans like being nudged? Survey evidence for the contextuality of behavioral public policy," Rationality and Society, , vol. 32(3), pages 313-333, August.
    3. McConnell, Margaret, 2013. "Behavioral economics and aging," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 1, pages 83-89.
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