Sludge theory

Last updated

Sludge in behavioral economics refers to any form of design, administrative, or policy-related friction that systematically impedes individuals' actions or decisions. [1] [2] [3] It encompasses a range of frictions such as complex forms, hidden fees, and manipulative defaults that increase the effort, time, or cost required to make a choice, often benefiting the designer at the expense of the user's interest. [1] [4] [5]

The concept of sludge highlights the importance of transparent and user-friendly design in promoting welfare, efficiency, and equity in decision-making processes. [1]

Sludge was popularized by behavioral economist Richard Thaler and legal scholar Cass Sunstein. They introduced it as the "dark cousin" of nudging in their book Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Sunstein, Cass R. (2023). Advanced introduction to behavioral law and economics. Elgar advanced introductions series. Northampton: Edward Elgar Publishing. ISBN   978-1-0353-2314-2.
  2. ↑ Newall, Philip W. S. (July 2023). "What is sludge? Comparing Sunstein's definition to others'" (PDF). Behavioural Public Policy. 7 (3): 851–857. doi:10.1017/bpp.2022.12. ISSN   2398-063X.
  3. ↑ Thaler, Richard H. (2018-08-03). "Nudge, not sludge" . Science. 361 (6401): 431. Bibcode:2018Sci...361..431T. doi:10.1126/science.aau9241. ISSN   0036-8075. PMID   30072515.
  4. ↑ Shahab, Sina; Lades, Leonhard K. (19 April 2021). "Sludge and transaction costs" (PDF). Behavioral Public Policy. 8 (2): 327–348. doi: 10.1017/bpp.2021.12 – via Cambridge University Press.
  5. ↑ "Sludge". The Decision Lab. Retrieved 2024-04-23.
ThreeCoins.svg

This economic theory related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.