In the Media: April 2013

Smaller Bowls May Help Curb Childhood Obesity

Smaller bowl sizes may be the next weapon in the battle against childhood obesity, says a new Cornell study published this week in the Journal of Pediatrics which found children not only ask for more food to fill larger bowls, but they also eat 52 percent more (Science Daily, November 2013).

Thinking Big in Small Ways

Harvard Kennedy School's recently created Behavioural Insights Group (BIG) brings together Harvard scholars who are trying to understand how we really behave (Harvard Kennedy School Magazine, 2013). 

Small nudge, big impact

How behavioral scientists are helping individuals - and societies - reach their goals (Observer, September 2013)

Nudged to the produce aisle by a look in the mirror

Social scientists in the US are using nudges and cues to get Americans to change their eating habits (The New York Times, 27 August 2013).

Samsung and LG Plan Anti-Theft tool for Phones and Tablets

Samsung and LG are looking at installing a "kill switch" on devices to make them inoperable if stolen (The Wall Street Journal, 26 August 2013).

Behavioural Insights and Crime: ‘Is your phone the one most likely to be stolen?’

The British Government is set to publish a league table of the mobile phones most likely to be stolen in a bold attempt to cut street crime (The Daily Mail, 20 July 2013).

The 'IKEA Effect'

Research shows that people attach much more value to something they build compared with the very same product built by someone else, even if it is greatly inferior (SMH, 6 May 2013).

Daniel Kahneman's Gripe with Behavioural Economics

Kahneman explains the dangers of overconfidence, why economists are still at the top of the policy-making pecking order, and his good-natured gripe with the term “behavioral economics” (The Daily Beast, 26 April 2013).

Portion Control - A Type of Nudge?

Interesting article about research into how portion size affects eating habits, despite information about responsible eating (SMH, 8 April 2013).