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When do defaults stick and when are they ethical? Taxonomy, sytematic review and design recommendations

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  • Lemken, Dominic

Abstract

In many instances, default nudges are proven to be strong drivers of behavior. However, a number of ethical concerns have been raised. Both, nudge success and ethical concerns, depend heavily on the features of the default nudge, with some of them being shared by defaults in all settings. We systematically review the scientific literature on default nudges from various disciplines and investigate nudge success and ethical concerns with respect to seven main features: (1) the initial state of the choice architecture, (2) the invasiveness, (3) the psychological effect mechanism, (4) the purpose, (5) the visibility, (6) the customization, and (7) the disclosure of the default. When designing a default, as researcher or practitioner, a full consideration of these features is advised. Often enough, choice architects are not aware of the design options. In a nutshell, the welfare losses suffered through the initial choice architecture are often overlooked. Customizations and disclosures of defaults are scarcely used despite easing ethical concerns without negatively affecting nudge success. The psychological effect mechanism, with several ethical implications, remains a theoretical relict that is not empirically researched. Default framing in combination with a choice structuring default can lead to greater nudge success.

Suggested Citation

  • Lemken, Dominic, 2020. "When do defaults stick and when are they ethical? Taxonomy, sytematic review and design recommendations," DARE Discussion Papers 2005, Georg-August University of Göttingen, Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development (DARE).
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:daredp:2005
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    nudging; opt-out; opt-in; status quo; choice architecture; defaulting; welfare;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • M38 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Marketing and Advertising - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs

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