Researchers have long shown that spending money on others makes us happier than spending it on ourselves. New research, presented recently by Ashley Whillans at the Science of Philanthropy Initiative in Chicago, has found that people randomly assigned to spend money on others are not only happier but also experience lower blood pressure.
Inside the Nudge Unit – a term coined by David Halpern – behavioral scientists around the globe are showing how “small changes can make a big difference.” Making the RIGHT choice the DEFAULT choice can be made through simple policy changes or single word choices. People, says Elspeth Kirkman, with the Behavioural Insights Team, feel successful when innovative city, state, and national government agencies make it easy for them to do the right thing.
Nudging can be used to reduce logistical barriers for college applications, to help people overcome obesity and make healthy food choices, and even guiding citizens to choose a more sustainable lifestyle.
