Triggering change in the GCC through behavioral insights

How behavioral science insights work in policymaking

Conventional policy levers such as fines, incentives, or taxes, used by governments have not always succeeded in altering behaviors. This is because such an approach assumes that individuals make rational choices leading to the best possible outcome.

The behavioral science approach addresses “cognitive biases,” which are people’s natural tendencies to ignore rules, regulations, incentives, and penalties even when this goes against their self-interest.

Examples of cognitive biases

Framing communication messages

Leveraging communication campaigns based on deep cultural and psychological insights to effectively enable the desired change

Promoting discursive consciousness

Designing interventions in schools (updated curricula, training sessions, field trips) and special content segments on media channels educates audiences on intended behaviors.

Leveraging role models

Selecting brands or public personalities or creating fictitious characters to champion a desired behavior can encourage more people to follow suit.

Setting new default options

Positioning a desired outcome as the default option (e.g., making a green plan for household electricity consumption the default choice) increases individuals’ participation rate.

Incentivizing individuals through gamification

Giving individuals opportunities to earn achievements when they engage in a desired behavior — through personal goal-setting or competitions on social media, for example.

Using heuristics

Creating mental “shortcuts” like songs, visual cues, can speed up decision-making process (e.g., people easily remember the “5-a-day” recommendation to eat the right amount of fruits and vegetables).

Opportunities for behavioral interventions in the GCC

By applying behavioral interventions in the right places, GCC countries can effectively achieve the key objectives outlined in their national transformation plans.

Strategy& analyzed transformation programs in GCC states and prioritized their main objectives by weighing the proportion of behavioral interventions against structural levers used to achieve them, as well as the success of behavioral interventions implemented globally to achieve similar objectives.

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