- UCAS course code
- S456
- UCAS institution code
- M20
Course unit details:
Using Nudge to Change Lives
Unit code | POLI30331 |
---|---|
Credit rating | 20 |
Unit level | Level 3 |
Teaching period(s) | Semester 1 |
Available as a free choice unit? | No |
Aims
The course unit aims to:
• Provide an introductory grounding on the theoretical foundations of behavioural science.
• Critically investigate how the theories of behavioural science have been applied in the public and private sector around the world.
• Support students’ critical thinking about how these ideas might be further developed and applied to policy issues of their choice.
Learning outcomes
Knowledge and Understanding:
- Explain and analyse the underpinning theories of behavioural science
- Understand how theories have been translated into different empirical contexts
- Assess the application of behavioural science in public policy in different places and contexts
Intellectual skills:
- Interrogate key theories
- Collate, critique, and defend different forms of evidence
- Understand and apply evaluative principles to empirical material
Practical and transferable skills:
- Policy-orientated research
- Independent research to support essay writing
- Collaborative work and group learning
Teaching and learning methods
This course will be taught in three-hour workshop blocks for 10 weeks. Students will be
expected to complete key readings in advance of this weekly workshop in order to enable
discussion. The course instructor will start with an introductory lecture each week which
will be followed by both large and small-group tasks and hands-on learning. This will allow students to build teamwork skills, develop their project proposals, and engage with the course convener on specific topics.
Indicative week-by-week guide
1. Introduction to the module and to the topic of behavioural science.
2. Applying the theory: we will discuss various frameworks that can help identify barriers
and facilitators to behaviours e.g. COM-B (Michie, 2011) as well as ways to change
those behaviours e.g. EAST (BIT, 2014)
3. Applications in practice 1: behavioural science in the public sector - discussion of how
it is used by governments across the world (guest lecture)
4. Applications in practice 2: Behavioural science in the private sector - how it is used to
benefit and harm consumers (guest lecture)
5. How to run a behavioural science project – introducing TESTS
6. Measuring impact – how can we know if the approach has worked?
7. Ethics, limitations and criticisms e.g. WEIRD (Heinrich et al, 2010) (guest lecture)
8. Going beyond 'nudge' - Nudge Plus, how behavioural science interacts
with data science, design thinking, co-production
9. Revision of content covered in previous weeks, initial collective feedback on 1st assignment, and preparation for final assignment
Knowledge and understanding
• Understand the basics of core underpinning theories of behavioural science
• Understand, explain and analyse how theories have been translated into different empirical contexts
• Assess the application of behavioural science in public policy in different places and contexts
Intellectual skills
- Develop ideas for applied policy solutions
- Collate, critique, and defend different forms of evidence
Practical skills
• Policy-orientated research
• Independent research to support essay writing
Assessment methods
Method | Weight |
---|---|
Report | 20% |
Project output (not diss/n) | 80% |
Recommended reading
Dolan, P., Hallsworth, M., Halpern, D., King, D. and Vlaev, I. (2009) MINDSPACE: Influencing behaviour through public policy, London: Cabinet Office and Institute for Government
Hallsworth and Kirkman (2020) Behavioural insights MIT Press Essential Knowledge
Series
Behavioural Insights Team (2014) EAST: Four Simple Ways to Apply Behavioural Insights Henrich et al (2010) The weirdest people in the world? Behavioral and Brain Sciences (2010) 33, 61-135 doi:10.1017/S0140525X0999152X
John, P., Cotterill, S., Moseley, A., Richardson, L., Smith, G., Stoker, G. and Wales, C. (2019) Nudge, nudge, think, think: experimenting with ways
Study hours
Scheduled activity hours | |
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Practical classes & workshops | 30 |
Teaching staff
Staff member | Role |
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Felicity Algate | Unit coordinator |