Citizens are often busy, stressed and they don´t have time or the tools to make take the right decisions. That's why the information you provide to them, how clear and concise it is, and how you distribute it can be important in determining how they behave. The IDB has conducted several interventions in which it offered clear information to citizens so they could make better decisions. We are working on environmental issues, providing information on pollution, on issues of citizen safety and the relationship with the police, and on conservation of resources like drinking water. In all cases, we seek to increase confidence in the State and greater demand for public policies with long-term benefits. At the IDB we are committed to continue designing and supporting public policies that improve the lives of Latin Americans.

Can Rewards Change Behavior?

Carlos Scartascini from the Inter-American Development Bank responds to three questions about behavioral economics:

1) What is behavioral science?
2) How is the IDB harnessing behavioral economics in Latin America?
3) What projects has the IDB done in this field?

Is the method governments use to communicate with its citizens relevant? This video summarizes the results of an intervention that evaluates the responses that taxpayers have to different communication methods: letters, email, phone calls, and personal visits. Results show that each method has a different effect. Governments have to take into account these results and evaluate which method is more efficient for each particular policy it’s pursuing. This intervention is another example of the work the IDB is pursuing for strengthening governments in their ability to use behavioral economy lessons for improving the lives of their citizens.

Blog Post: Behavioral Economics and the Messaging That Works - Learn more subscribing to our blog! blogs.iadb.org/ideasmatter/

At the Inter-American Development Bank we work to improve lives in Latin America and the Caribbean. iadb.org

Cada vez más formuladores de políticas usan la economía del comportamiento para asegurar el éxito de las políticas públicas, puesto que esta considera cómo las personas se comportan y toman decisiones. Por eso hemos creado el primer curso en línea en español que enseña los principios de la economía del comportamiento.

Participa en nuestro curso y:

• Aprenderás cómo la economía del comportamiento se diferencia del modelo económico convencional

• Dominarás las herramientas que promueven la toma de mejores decisiones

• Conocerás casos reales de intervenciones exitosas en América Latina y otras partes del mundo

Register for the online course through this link