Psychology for Policy Analysis

Wrap Up12.2.14

Psychological assumptions…Permeate the social sciences

Rational viewBehavioral view

Biased judgment Malleable preferences Influenced by social context!

Psychology as a tool for policy!

Course ObjectivesBe a better consumer of psychological

researchUnderstanding the scientific method in social

scienceBecoming familiar with experimental design

Possess an additional set of tools for policy analysis, design and implementation

Behavioral economics

Risk perception

Attitudes and behavior change

Intergroup relations

Negotiation

Behavioral economics

Risk perception

Attitudes and behavior change

Intergroup relations

Negotiation

Ethics, fairness, and responsibility

Behavioral economicsHeuristics and biases approach

System 1 vs System 2Bounded awareness

Prospect theory – loss aversion

Clinical vs. actuarial judgment

Risk perceptionEmotion and perception of risk

Messaging and intuition about riskAlso tied to emotionDifficulty in using objective information

Attitudes and behavior changeSocial norms (injunctive vs. descriptive)

Tools of persuasion

Central vs. Peripheral route to persuasion

Intergroup relations

Individuals form groups readilyFunctions of forming groupsStigma and its links to prejudice and

discrimination

Cognitive, behavioral and affective response patterns

Automaticity of many of these effects

Negotiation

Cognitive barriers to rationality

Many previous heuristics and biases in playAnchoringSelf-serving biasesStatus quo biasFraming

What can we do about it?Use decision-analysis toolsAcquire expertiseDebias judgmentTake an outside viewUnderstand bias in othersEducate othersPerform decision audits