Choice architecture
Encyclopedia
Choice architecture describes the way in which decisions are influenced by how the choices are presented (in order to influence the outcome), and is a term used by Cass Sunstein
and economist Richard Thaler
in the 2008 book Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness
. Parallels are drawn between choice architecture and traditional architecture
.
process rather than opt-in. Another principle suggested is laying out various outcomes of a decision in a way that is easy for the choice-maker to understand.
Choice Architecture as outlined in Nudge has a broad remit, from personal decision making, to medical options, to social policy. There have been comparisons with many theorists, including the work of B. J. Fogg
on computers as persuasive technologies, and the concept of permission marketing
as described by Seth Godin
. Choice Architecture is similar in spirit to the concept of "heresthetics," or manipulation that changes outcomes without changing people's underlying preferences. This concept has been explored by political scientist William H. Riker
.
Thaler
and Sunstein
are former colleagues at the University of Chicago of US President, Barack Obama
, and have been described as "informal advisors" by ABC News
.
Cass Sunstein
Cass R. Sunstein is an American legal scholar, particularly in the fields of constitutional law, administrative law, environmental law, and law and behavioral economics, who currently is the Administrator of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs in the Obama administration...
and economist Richard Thaler
Richard Thaler
Richard H. Thaler is an American economist and the Ralph and Dorothy Keller Distinguished Service Professor of Behavioral Science and Economics at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business...
in the 2008 book Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness
Nudge (book)
Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness is a book written by Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein. The book draws on research in psychology and behavioral economics to defend libertarian paternalism and active engineering of choice architecture.The book received mixed reviews...
. Parallels are drawn between choice architecture and traditional architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
.
'Choice architecture' concept
Several ways of presenting choices and the way that presentation affects outcomes are explored in Nudge. The book proposes that default outcomes of a situation can be arranged to be the outcome desired by the person or organization presenting the choice. According to the authors this is an underused method. For example a greater supply of transplant organs could be created by a system of presumed consent followed by an opt-outOpt-out
The term opt-out refers to several methods by which individuals can avoid receiving unsolicited product or service information. This ability is usually associated with direct marketing campaigns such as telemarketing, e-mail marketing, or direct mail. A list of those who have opted-out is called a...
process rather than opt-in. Another principle suggested is laying out various outcomes of a decision in a way that is easy for the choice-maker to understand.
Choice Architecture as outlined in Nudge has a broad remit, from personal decision making, to medical options, to social policy. There have been comparisons with many theorists, including the work of B. J. Fogg
B. J. Fogg
B.J. Fogg was the first scientist to articulate the concept of "captology," a word he coined to describe the overlap between persuasion and computers.Fogg was named in article on Fortune Magazine "."...
on computers as persuasive technologies, and the concept of permission marketing
Permission marketing
Permission marketing is a term popularized by Seth Godin used in marketing in general and e-marketing specifically. The undesirable opposite of permission marketing is interruption marketing. Marketers obtain permission before advancing to the next step in the purchasing process. For example, they...
as described by Seth Godin
Seth Godin
Seth Godin is an American entrepreneur, author and public speaker. Godin popularized the topic of permission marketing.-Background:...
. Choice Architecture is similar in spirit to the concept of "heresthetics," or manipulation that changes outcomes without changing people's underlying preferences. This concept has been explored by political scientist William H. Riker
William H. Riker
William Harrison Riker was an American political scientist who applied game theory and mathematics to political science....
.
Thaler
Richard Thaler
Richard H. Thaler is an American economist and the Ralph and Dorothy Keller Distinguished Service Professor of Behavioral Science and Economics at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business...
and Sunstein
Cass Sunstein
Cass R. Sunstein is an American legal scholar, particularly in the fields of constitutional law, administrative law, environmental law, and law and behavioral economics, who currently is the Administrator of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs in the Obama administration...
are former colleagues at the University of Chicago of US President, Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
, and have been described as "informal advisors" by ABC News
ABC News
ABC News is the news gathering and broadcasting division of American broadcast television network ABC, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
.
Terminology
- choice architect The person who frames the options, for example someone who chooses how allied products are displayed in a supermarketSupermarketA supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
. - libertarian paternalism The idea that it is both possible and legitimate for private and public institutions to affect behavior while also respecting freedom of choice.
See also
- ChoiceChoiceChoice consists of the mental process of judging the merits of multiple options and selecting one of them. While a choice can be made between imagined options , often a choice is made between real options, and followed by the corresponding action...
- Decision makingDecision makingDecision making can be regarded as the mental processes resulting in the selection of a course of action among several alternative scenarios. Every decision making process produces a final choice. The output can be an action or an opinion of choice.- Overview :Human performance in decision terms...
- Framing (economics)
- Framing effect (psychology)Framing effect (psychology)The framing effect, one of the cognitive biases, describes that presenting the same option in different formats can alter people's decisions. Specifically, individuals have a tendency to select inconsistent choices, depending on whether the question is framed to concentrate on losses or gains...
- Status quo biasStatus quo biasThe status quo bias is a cognitive bias for the status quo; in other words, people tend not to change an established behavior unless the incentive to change is compelling...
- Mental accountingMental accountingA concept first named by Richard Thaler , mental accounting attempts to describe the process whereby people code, categorize and evaluate economic outcomes....
- Impulse purchaseImpulse purchaseAn impulse purchase or impulse buy is an unplanned decision to buy a product or service, made just before a purchase. One who tends to make such purchases is referred to as an impulse purchaser or impulse buyer...
- Selling techniqueSelling techniqueSelling technique is the body of methods used in the profession of sales, also often called personal selling.Techniques in use in selling interviews vary from the highly customer centric consultative selling to the heavily pressured "hard close"....
- AdvertisingAdvertisingAdvertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
- List of cognitive biases
- Public choice theoryPublic choice theoryIn economics, public choice theory is the use of modern economic tools to study problems that traditionally are in the province of political science...
- PoliticsPoliticsPolitics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
- PersuasionPersuasionPersuasion is a form of social influence. It is the process of guiding or bringing oneself or another toward the adoption of an idea, attitude, or action by rational and symbolic means.- Methods :...
- PropagandaPropagandaPropaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
- Richard ThalerRichard ThalerRichard H. Thaler is an American economist and the Ralph and Dorothy Keller Distinguished Service Professor of Behavioral Science and Economics at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business...
- Soft paternalismSoft paternalismSoft paternalism is a political philosophy that believes the state can...
- Cass SunsteinCass SunsteinCass R. Sunstein is an American legal scholar, particularly in the fields of constitutional law, administrative law, environmental law, and law and behavioral economics, who currently is the Administrator of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs in the Obama administration...
- William H. RikerWilliam H. RikerWilliam Harrison Riker was an American political scientist who applied game theory and mathematics to political science....
Selected publications
- Johnson, E. J. & Goldstein, D. G. (2003). Do defaults save lives? Science, 302, 1338-1339.