Creatures of Habit? The Art of Behavioural Change

Many of the major challenges facing society today require that individuals change their behaviour. However, policies introduced so far have had mixed results. The proportion of the population classified as obese continues to grow, despite the significant provision of information on the health risks this brings and the diet and activity needed to avoid it. People continue to save too little for their old age, although numerous financial and other incentives have been deployed to promote saving. Despite high-profile campaigns on the harmful effects of human activity on the environment, individual behaviour to address climate change has not shifted as quickly as policymakers have hoped. Read more...