All by Myself? Testing Descriptive Social Norm-Nudges to Increase Flood Preparedness among Homeowners

Behavioural Public Policy, First View , pp. 1 - 33 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/bpp.2021.17

45 Pages Posted: 24 Jun 2020 Last revised: 3 May 2021

See all articles by Jantsje M. Mol

Jantsje M. Mol

University of Amsterdam - Center for Experimental Economics and Political Decision Making (CREED)

W.J.W. Botzen

VU University Amsterdam - Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM)

Julia Blasch

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam - Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM)

Elissa Kranzler

Cancer Support Community

Howard Kunreuther

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER); University of Pennsylvania - Wharton Risk Management and Decision Processes Center

Date Written: November 27, 2020

Abstract

Nudges based on social norms (norm-nudges) can be compelling behavioral interventions compared to traditional interventions such as taxes and regulations, but they do not work in all circumstances. We tested two empirical norm-nudge frames in an online experiment on taking measures for flood preparedness with large samples of homeowners (N =1805) in two European countries, to evaluate the possible interactions between norm-nudge effectiveness, individual characteristics and intercultural differences. We contrasted these norm-nudge treatments with a control and norm focusing treatment by asking respondents to express their beliefs about what other respondents would do before making a decision relevant to their own payoff. We find no evidence of a treatment effect, suggesting that our social norm-nudges do not affect flood preparedness in the context of a flood risk investment game.

Keywords: Flood preparedness, Homeowners, Lab-in-the-field experiment, Norm-nudge

JEL Classification: B41, C91, C93

Suggested Citation

Mol, J. M. and Botzen, W.J.W. and Blasch, Julia and Kranzler, Elissa and Kunreuther, Howard C. and Kunreuther, Howard C., All by Myself? Testing Descriptive Social Norm-Nudges to Increase Flood Preparedness among Homeowners (November 27, 2020). Behavioural Public Policy, First View , pp. 1 - 33 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/bpp.2021.17, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3616189 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3616189

J. M. Mol (Contact Author)

University of Amsterdam - Center for Experimental Economics and Political Decision Making (CREED) ( email )

Netherlands

W.J.W. Botzen

VU University Amsterdam - Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM) ( email )

De Boelelaan 1115
Amsterdam, 1081 HV
Netherlands

Julia Blasch

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam - Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM) ( email )

De Boelelaan 1087
Amsterdam, 1081HV
Netherlands

Elissa Kranzler

Cancer Support Community ( email )

Howard C. Kunreuther

University of Pennsylvania - Wharton Risk Management and Decision Processes Center ( email )

3819 Chestnut Street
Suite 130
Philadelphia, PA 19104
United States
215-898-4589 (Phone)

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

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