In this accessible collection, leading academic economists, psychologists and philosophers apply behavioural economic findings to practical policy concerns.

The academic field of behavioral science has developed rapidly in recent decades. The field draws on research from across the social and natural sciences, and it has consistently shown that humans are not always rational. This insight has had a profound impact on multiple fields, including economics, political science, and law. Since the early 2000s, the application of behavioral science to public policy has also grown exponentially. Policymakers and practitioners now regularly use behavioral science to rethink how they develop programs and solve social problems. The impact has been far-reaching; behavioral science has transformed how we think about the economy, public health, education, and beyond. In practice, behavioral insights have been used to raise tax revenues, help people access social welfare program benefits and employment opportunities, increase voter turnout, boost medication adherence, and more. There are now hundreds of entities – international organizations, governments, business, and nonprofits – building and investing in internal behavioral science teams. Unfortunately, most of the hard work of putting these teams together and applying behavioral science insights happens “behind the scenes.” This book unearths some of the stories and insights from pioneers in applied behavioral science, in their own words. How did their teams come about, and how did they grow? What projects have worked, and which have not? What have they learned, and what would they recommend to others seeking to build behavioral science teams of their own?

Covering the full spectrum of methodology, the timely and indispensible Research Methods for Environmental surveys the research and application methods for studying, changing, and improving human attitudes, behaviour and well-being in relation to the physical environment. The first new book covering research methods in environmental psychology in over 25 years. Brings the subject completely up-to-date with coverage of the latest methodology in the field The level of public concern over the impact of the environment on humans is high, making this book timely and of real interest to a fast growing discipline Comprehensively surveys the research and application methods for studying, changing, and improving human attitudes, behavior, and well-being in relation to the physical environment Robert Gifford is internationally recognised as one of the leading individuals in this field, and the contributors include many of the major leaders in the discipline

The first decades of the twenty-first century have offered a remarkable shift in how policies are made as well as who designs them. Until this period, local, regional, and national policy advisors largely comprised economists, lawyers, and financial experts. But in an era when behavioral scientists are increasingly being asked to demonstrate the impact of their research, many are playing a much greater role in policy making across a range of sectors as a result. Written by a team of authors working across both academia and government, Behavioral Insights for Public Policy is the first textbook to fully examine how psychology can be applied to a range of public policy areas. It addresses a wide variety of topics from the origins of policy as well as major findings from behavioral economics and nudge theory, to large-scale applications of behavioral insights. The compilation is the first of its kind to broadly cover the underlying theory, history, major empirical examples, and practical applications to policy of nudges (or behavioral insights) for teaching and study in higher education. Featuring over 100 empirical examples of how behavioral insights are being used to address some of the most critical challenges faced globally, the book also includes a unique chapter from an organization actively implementing behavioral insights in policies along with various government institutions. Also featuring case studies looking at key policy issues, learning outcomes, a glossary of key terms, and an accompanying website, this important book will be essential reading for any student of applied psychology. It has also been produced for others interested in the topic from social, political, and economic sciences, as well as those in government looking for an overview of the key issues.

The articles on which Chapters 4, 5 and 6 are based are available Open Access under CC-BY-NC licence. Design approaches to policy-making have gained increasing popularity among policy makers in recent years. First published as a special issue of Policy & Politics, this book presents original critical reflections on the value of design approaches and how they relate to the classical idea of public administration as a design science, with a new concluding chapter. Contributors consider the potential, challenges and applications of design approaches and distinguish between three methods currently characterising the discipline: design as optimisation, design as exploration and design as co-creation. Developing the dialogue around public administration as a design science, this collection explores how a more 'designerly' way of thinking can improve public administration and public policy.