Boosting (behavioral science)

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Boosting is a behavioral science technique that aims to improve a person's ability to initiate and control their actions, and ability to make informed decisions. [1] It is an intervention or strategy designed to enhance individuals' decision-making capabilities, cognitive skills, or behaviors by improving their competences.

Training in the ability to interpret statistical information, particularly Bayesian reasoning, [2] as well as training the basic accounting heuristics and procedural routines. [3] AI-powered boosting refers to the use of artificial intelligence tools and systems for boosting. [4] Unlike manual boosting, which relies on human-delivered interventions, AI-powered boosting leverages automation of providing decision aids that guide humans to attend to the important information and integrate it according to a rational decision strategy. [5]

Comparison with nudging

Like nudging, boosting is a public policy based on behavioral science. Yet, not all public policy based on behavioral science evidence can be equated with nudging. [6] Nudging works by shaping the external context to guide behavior, whereas boosting focuses on building internal capacities to enable better decision-making. Both approaches have their strengths and can be complementary. [6]

In contrast to nudging, boosting is based on the premise that people can find their way around complex environments and make largely rational decisions despite their limited cognitive capacities. [7] This can also be described as ecological rationality.

References

  1. Herzog, Stefan M.; Hertwig, Ralph (17 January 2025). "Boosting: Empowering Citizens with Behavioral Science". Annual Review of Psychology. 76 (1): 851–881. doi: 10.1146/annurev-psych-020924-124753 . ISSN   0066-4308. PMID   39413154.
  2. Sedlmeier, P.; Gigerenzer, G. (September 2001). "Teaching Bayesian reasoning in less than two hours". Journal of Experimental Psychology. General. 130 (3): 380–400. doi:10.1037/0096-3445.130.3.380. hdl: 11858/00-001M-0000-0025-9504-E . ISSN   0096-3445. PMID   11561916.
  3. Drexler, Alejandro; Fischer, Greg; Schoar, Antoinette (1 April 2014). "Keeping It Simple: Financial Literacy and Rules of Thumb" (PDF). American Economic Journal: Applied Economics. 6 (2): 1–31. doi:10.1257/app.6.2.1.
  4. Marti, Deniz; Budathoki, Anjila; Ding, Yi; Lucas, Gale; Nelson, David (2024). "How Does Acknowledging Users' Preferences Impact AI's Ability to Make Conflicting Recommendations?" . International Journal of Human–Computer Interaction. 0: 1–12. doi:10.1080/10447318.2024.2426035. ISSN   1044-7318.
  5. Becker, Frederic; Skirzyński, Julian; van Opheusden, Bas; Lieder, Falk (1 December 2022). "Boosting Human Decision-making with AI-Generated Decision Aids". Computational Brain & Behavior. 5 (4): 467–490. arXiv: 2203.02776 . doi:10.1007/s42113-022-00149-y. ISSN   2522-087X.
  6. 1 2 Hertwig, Ralph; Grüne-Yanoff, Till (1 November 2017). "Nudging and Boosting: Steering or Empowering Good Decisions". Perspectives on Psychological Science. 12 (6): 973–986. doi:10.1177/1745691617702496. hdl: 11858/00-001M-0000-002E-8D6F-D . ISSN   1745-6916. PMID   28792862. Archived from the original on 19 October 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2025.
  7. Hertwig, Ralph; Grüne-Yanoff, Till (1 November 2017). "Nudging and Boosting: Steering or Empowering Good Decisions". Perspectives on Psychological Science. 12 (6): 973–986. doi:10.1177/1745691617702496. hdl: 11858/00-001M-0000-002E-8D6F-D . ISSN   1745-6916. PMID   28792862.