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on Nudge and Boosting |
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Issue of 2023‒10‒02
three papers chosen by |
| By: | Chiara Varazzani; Henrietta Tuomaila; Torben Emmerling; Stefano Brusoni; Laura Fontanesi |
| Abstract: | Behavioural science methods are increasingly used to design and evaluate public policies that better reflect human behaviour and decision making. However, there is a lack of standardization in selecting and labelling these methods, making it difficult for policymakers to choose the appropriate one for a specific policy context. To address this, this working paper proposes guidelines and a visual roadmap, including five key questions to guide the selection of appropriate methods, and seven different experimental or non-experimental methods to choose from. The aim is to provide a simple and practical framework for policymakers to choose the most fit-for-purpose method for their policy context. |
| Keywords: | Behavioural and experimental economics, Behavioural economics, Experimental economics, Experimental methods, Experimentation, Experimentation and policy-making, Field experiments, Observational methods, Qualitative methods, RCT |
| JEL: | C9 |
| Date: | 2023–09–20 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:oec:govaaa:64-en&r=nud |
| By: | David Abrams; Hanming Fang; Priyanka Goonetilleke |
| Abstract: | The standard economic model of police stops implies that the contraband hit rate should rise when the number of stops or searches per officer falls, ceteris paribus. We provide empirical corroboration of such optimizing models of police behavior by examining changes in stops and frisks around two extraordinary events of 2020: the COVID-19 pandemic onset and the nationwide protests following the killing of George Floyd. We find that hit rates from pedestrian and vehicle stops generally rose as stops and frisks fell dramatically. Using detailed data, we are able to rule out a number of alternative explanations, including changes in street population, crime, police allocation, and policing intensity. We find mixed evidence about the changes in racial disparities, and evidence that police stops do not decrease crime, at least in the short run. The results are robust to a number of different specifications. Our findings provide quantitative estimates that can contribute to the important goals of improving and reforming policing. |
| JEL: | J14 K0 |
| Date: | 2023–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:31594&r=nud |
| By: | Oeindrila Dube; Sandy Jo MacArthur; Anuj K. Shah |
| Abstract: | What causes adverse policing outcomes, such as excessive uses of force and unnecessary arrests? Prevailing explanations focus on problematic officers or deficient regulations and oversight. Here, we introduce a new, overlooked perspective. We suggest that the cognitive demands inherent in policing can undermine officer decision-making. Unless officers are prepared for these demands, they may jump to conclusions too quickly without fully considering alternative ways of seeing a situation. This can lead to adverse policing outcomes. To test this perspective, we created a new training that teaches officers to more deliberately consider different ways of interpreting the situations they encounter. We evaluated this training using a randomized controlled trial with 2, 070 officers from the Chicago Police Department. In a series of lab assessments, we find that treated officers were significantly more likely to consider a wider range of evidence and develop more explanations for subjects' actions. Critically, we also find that training affected officer performance in the field, leading to reductions in uses of force, discretionary arrests, and arrests of Black civilians. Meanwhile, officer activity levels remained unchanged, and trained officers were less likely to be injured on duty. Our results highlight the value of considering the cognitive aspects of policing and demonstrate the power of using behaviorally informed approaches to improve officer decision-making and policing outcomes. |
| JEL: | C91 C93 D03 D91 J08 K40 K42 |
| Date: | 2023–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:31651&r=nud |