Abstract
Findings in cognitive and behavioral science are of interest for designers because they show that the way options are designed and presented influences people’s choices and behaviors due to cognitive biases. Based on this data, Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein came up with the idea of a nudge, which they define as a small change in the way options are presented that steers people towards certain choices without coercion. Designers are, then, capable of incorporating the use of nudges as a strategy in their work to influence target audiences. Central to the debate on nudging is the question of whether it is ethical to intentionally nudge others. My work answers this question in the positive and offers a criteria for the ethical use of nudges. That is, for a nudge to be ethical (i) it must be easy to resist, and (ii) it must be aimed towards the welfare of those being nudged. By exploring what these conditions involve, my work contributes to the debate on design ethics. Particularly, it advances the conversation about the morality of nudging as a design strategy by offering a standard with which nudges can be categorized as ethical/unethical. In addition, I describe and evaluate practical examples of nudges with an emphasis on their social and economic effects. A central implication of my project is that a designer’s responsibilities include recognizing the impact of their work and “nudging for good”. That is, nudging according to proposed criteria.
Presenters
Valerie Joly ChockStudent, MA, Ethics and Society, Fordham University, New York, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
2020 Special Focus - Advocacy in Design: Engagement, Commitment, and Action
KEYWORDS
Nudging, Ethics, Social Design, Design Strategy, Psychology, Choice Architecture
