Why Political Peer Pressure May Not Work
Time Magazine recently published an article by author Michael Grunwald entitled "Making Change" about President Obama's team of advisors like Cass Sunstein and Peter Orszag using behavioral science to help Americans arrive at healthy and energy efficient life-style choices (April 13, 2009, page 28-32). This excellent piece about motivational strategies to help change behavior by public administration, a kind of self-described "libertarian paternalism" should be read by anyone interested in public health, the environment and economic policy change.Grunwald points out how scientific studies suggest when we make things clear with better information, when we make things easy with less paperwork, when we make things popular by way of social norms, or when we make things mandatory by conformity, law or outright bans, we can be encouraged to make better choices when it comes to managing money, personal health and caring for the environment along with energy use.
The author cites such best sellers as Cialdini's "Influence," Dan Ariely's "Predictably Irrational" and Thayler & Sunstein's "Nudge" as possibly being the inspiration behind the Obama team's use of behavioral economics. The science behind what will work and what will not work in encouraging Americans to behave responsibly has been tossed about for years.
Unfortunately, the infrastructure may not be in place to properly implement many government programs. As the article points out "we can't take public transit if there's none in our neighborhood" (page 32). How will the team of scientists and politicians be able to reach into those areas of conscience, benevolence, self-sacrifice and altruism for a society which has basically been based upon capitalism at its core for generations? How will they convince states and cities to spend money for infrastructure and education when money is so tight already?
|
|