Hi there
I'm not aware of any new behavioural stuff either but I haven't rooted
around. Anyway, I think what you say John forms the main body/structure of
a great article/response. I wonder if you Annie had any particular ideas
about where a commpsy piece/response might go?
Penny
Hi
>
> This is interesting stuff. On the one hand its same old, same old: the
> government want to regulate and control what we 'freely' choose whilst
> generating the appearance of beneficence and democracy. One of the best
> ways of controlling a population is to give them 'free' choice but then
> predetermine the options they are able to viably choose between. Amongst
> others, Foucault was onto this some years ago.
>
> And on the other hand, from what I can find online it seems like little
> more than economists finally waking up to the idea that their pet theory
> of rational choice doesn't actually capture how most people decide in
> most situations. Its wrapped up in a language of 'choice architecture'
> which makes it sound sinister but I'm not convinced they've provided
> much that's actually new. I couldn't find any studies directly testing
> hypotheses generated by the theory - though I didn't have loads of time
> to spend searching - but I'm not convinced there's too much here that's
> new or different to the techniques that advertisers have been using for
> decades except that they've chucked in the behaviourist finding that its
> better to reward good choices than punish bad ones.
>
> The kinds of choices they want to nudge us toward 'for our own good and
> the good of all' will presumably include things like exercising more,
> smoking less, drinking only in moderation, and having sex only on
> Sundays and even then under a duvet with the light off and strictly in
> the missionary position. Yet they're employing McDonald and Pepsi to
> help them write health policy and representatives of the alcohol
> industry to advise on responsible drinking. I don't think they've yet
> signed up a porn star to advise on sexual moderation but that can't be
> far away.
>
> At the same time they're cutting funds to local government and freezing
> or limiting council tax, forcing steep rises in the cost of e.g.
> swimming pool and football pitch hire and gym use. They're putting VAT
> up to 20%, cutting public sector jobs and wages, reducing benefits...
>
> In this context I'd see their adoption of nudge theory as more akin to
> the notion of the big society: a figleaf to cover over the fact that
> we're being shafted. Unlike the big society it does involve them
> actually doing something, although it has the benefit that what's
> involved seems like it will cost little or nothing, adopting a rhetoric
> and creating some guidelines rather than actually investing in people's
> wellbeing.
>
> But just like the big society its a figleaf that pushes responsibility
> back onto us, our choices and our lifestyles. When it 'works' they'll
> claim the credit, when it fails - which it mostly will because there's
> little or no substance - they'll blame us. So its Foucault (and others)
> yet again: they're giving us the power to choose whilst requiring us to
> choose responsibly on their limited and restrictive terms.
>
> I could be wrong and there's a mass of empirical evidence to back up the
> claim that there's a new technology of behavioural manipulation here
> that actually works. If anyone knows of anything it would be good to
> hear it. But in the absence of that I'd be more concerned about their
> use of nudge theory to legitimate a cuts agenda than their use of it to
> manipulate our choices. Consequently, if we're to critique it then
> that's where I think our critique should be targeted.
>
> J.
>
>
>
> On 09/12/2010 08:25, Annie Mitchell wrote:
>> Dear all, Have people in the UK been following the development of the
>> “nudge unit “ ( behavioural insight team) ? the intentions are intended
>> towards social benefit ( but by getting us to change our individual
>> choices by changing incentives ) and while there is some sense behind it
>> in terms of acknowledging environmental determinants of human behaviour
>> , I find the whole development hugely sinister - very alarming indeed to
>> read ( see link below for Guardian report) “ The deputy prime minister,
>> Nick Clegg, said he believed the unit could change the way citizens
>> think.“ I didn’t read anything in the book about nudges ( or even
>> shoves) towards bankers and unfettered business interests. What do
>> others make of this development? Can we marshall a community psychology
>> critique?
>>
>> Annie
>>
>> http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/sep/09/cameron-nudge-unit-economic-behaviour
>>
>>
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> --
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> Loughborough University
> Loughborough, Leics
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