Behavioural science is an interdisciplinary approach that encompasses the study of human behaviour and the design of strategies to change it. It draws on research and methods from various fields including cognitive sciences, economics, psychology, sociology, neuroscience, and decision sciences. In recent years, behavioural science has greatly expanded our understanding of how the psychological, social and cultural factors governing human behaviour affect policy outcomes. As such, public bodies around the world are increasingly using the behavioural approach to design and implement better public policies based on evidence of the actual behaviours of citizens and businesses.
Behavioural science
Governments around the world are increasingly using behavioural science as a lens to better understand how behaviours and social context influence policy outcomes. At the OECD, we research context-specific behavioural drivers and barriers, and support countries in the use of behavioural insights, from policy design to implementation and evaluation.
Key messages
The OECD has been at the forefront on the use of behavioural science in public policy, with applications spanning across policy sectors. For example, recent OECD work on behavioural science for sustainable tourism explored how to use behavioural science to encourage sustainable behaviour, targeting both the consumers and suppliers of tourism activities and services. Prominent examples of behavioural science applications at the OECD also include a recent study to tackle the spread of misinformation. Driven by a joint objective to better understand and reduce the spread of misinformation with insights and tools from behavioural science, the OECD launched a first-of-its-kind international collaboration with Canada and France. This study tested the impact of two behaviourally-informed interventions on intentions to share true and false news headlines about COVID-19 on social media.
A key mission for the OECD Behavioural Science Team is to bring together an international community of behavioural experts in government to discuss common challenges and exchange experiences. The OECD Network of Behavioural Science Experts in Government, co-chaired by Canada, France, and the United States, currently comprises over 100 government officials working on behavioural science initiatives in over 50 countries. The Network fosters the exchange of best practices and mutual learning among policymakers around the world, through regular international meetings as well as thematic working groups on topics including environmental policymaking, behavioural public administration, as well as addressing sludge in public service delivery.
Solid evidence and robust methodologies are vital in behavioural science, providing policymakers with the foundation needed to make informed decisions. At the OECD, our team is dedicated to advancing these standards through the development of comprehensive trainings, guidelines and tools for governments and practitioners. In particular, the OECD has developed guidance on the process of applying behavioural science to policy as well as on the ethical considerations that this process requires.
Context
The number of behavioural science experts working in governments is growing. The OECD fosters a wide international network to bring them together.
The establishment of the first behavioural insights (BI) unit in 2010 led the way for over 300 behavioural insights teams around the world. In recent years, the OECD spearheaded the first efforts to map and collect longitudinal data on these institutions. Despite the teams’ diverse governance models, the OECD found that BI teams agree on the success factors of BI in government: from the impact and scalability of their projects, to return on investment.
The result was the OECD Behavioural Insights Knowledge Hub, an open-source, freely available database that houses the BI units map, project repository, and pre-registration portal. It promotes cross-border knowledge sharing and serves as a resource for policymakers interested in the applications of BI.
Behavioural science can significantly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of policies across domains sectors.
We work with governments around the world to use behavioural science to tackle complex policy challenges. Our work spans all policy areas, including environmental sustainability, healthcare, public communication and more. For example, we previously worked with Canada and France to better understand and reduce the spread of mis- and disinformation. We studied the impact of two behaviourally-informed interventions – an attention accuracy prompt and a set of digital media literacy tips – on 1872 individuals’ intentions to share true and false news headlines about COVID-19 on social media . Our study found that individuals that were presented with digital media literacy tips demonstrated on average 21% decrease in intentions to share fake news online compared to the control group, as illustrated below. By combining qualitative and quantitative research techniques from various disciplines, the experiment provided an exemplary case of how behavioural science can offer governments an evidence-based approach to tackling complex policy challenges.
Behavioural Science encompasses a variety of experimental and observational tools that enable governments to design effective evidence-based policies.
Behavioural Science builds on a rich toolbox of experimental and observational methods, equipping governments with the means to base policies on solid evidence. By leveraging methodologies such as randomised controlled trials (RCTs), A/B testing, field experiments, and qualitative studies, policymakers gain invaluable insights into the underlying motivations, biases, and decision-making processes of individuals and communities. Our OECD Seven Routes to Experimentation guide helps policymakers navigate the different methodologies at their disposal and the respective applicability in different contexts. In addition, OECD guidelines on the ethical use of behavioural science provide methodological guidance on how to ensure compliance with ethical standards at all stages of the policy process.
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