People Like Nudges (Mostly)

Abstract

In recent years, there has been a great deal of debate about the ethical questions associated with “nudges,” understood as approaches that steer people in certain directions while fully maintaining freedom of choice. Evidence about people’s views cannot resolve the ethical questions, but in democratic societies (and probably nondemocratic ones as well), those views will inevitably affect what governments are willing to do. Existing evidence, including several nationally representative surveys, supports two general conclusions. First, there is a widespread support for nudges, at least of the kind that democratic societies have adopted or seriously considered in the recent past. Importantly, that support can be found across partisan lines. Second, nudges will not receive majority approval if they steer people in directions that are inconsistent with their interests or their values.