Towards Effective Nudges:

Insights from Experimental Approaches in Environmental and Resource Economics

Abstract

Nudges have been drawing attention as a measure to induce behavioral changes. This article reviews papers, mainly from experimental economics, on the effects of nudges in the context of their increasing application in policy. In particular, it focuses on studies that consider whether nudging can be effective in a social dilemma, which is a fundamental source of environmental and resource problems. The paper also examines what kind of information should be provided to consumers in addition to the label attached to food products to promote an environmentally-friendly purchasing behavior.