December 17, 2014
Use science to get what you really want this holiday season.
It’s a problem as old as holiday gift-giving itself. How do you influence family and friends when they set out to get you a gift? Yes, you could always just bluntly tell them exactly what you want them to buy. But that’s always seemed a bit crass and a little less magical than enjoying the surprise of opening a gift you didn’t overtly coerce someone into getting you. Well, now there’s science that can help you point friends and family in the right direction. And it’s legit!
The latest trend among governments is called “nudging.” It’s a response to the growing realization that the usual “carrot and stick” approaches to influencing citizen behaviour can be expensive and aren’t always effective. For example, despite increasingly heavier fines for distracted driving, people still text and chat on the phone as they roar down the highway. The mix of incentives and punishments isn’t working very well.
Taking a cue from behavioural sciences and psychology, governments are rethinking how to influence citizen behaviour by better understanding how we think and what motivates us. Since we’re social animals and like to fit in with our peers, let’s design letters to late tax filers that point out how many of our neighbours have already paid their taxes on time. Since we tend to choose the path of least resistance, let’s increase pension enrollment rates by making enrollment automatic, rather than opt-in.
But, you’re not really worried about pension coverage or tax payments right now. What you’re really wondering is how to “nudge” the fashionable new sweater you’ve wanted under the tree. Here are some simple suggestions, based on some of the Mowat Centre’s own research last year:
1) Seeding commitments
Since people often find it difficult to commit to sudden, radical change, it can be easier to ask them to commit to small, shorter-term changes. If you’ve wanted to convert your basement into a multimedia sports and video-game relaxation zone but your significant other has some minor reservations — such as time spent down there away from family, plus the cost and utility. Start spending an hour each day in the basement alone. Tell them it’s for “me” time. Get an old TV and put it down there, with some rabbit ears, and tell them you’re “watching” TV. Set up a wooden box in front of the TV set; now you have a stand-in for a PlayStation 4 gaming set-up. You’ll just be down there pretending to play with it. Once they get used to this new pattern of behaviour, you’re only 3-4 short steps away from your digital play cave nirvana. By the time your family discovers your wish list featuring a real giant flat-screen 4K TV, PlayStation and surround sound system, they will already be primed for the shock.
*Warning, this is a longer-term play for those with a lot of patience and who don’t mind pretending a wooden box is a video game console.
2) Respected messengers
People tend to listen to those they admire and respect. So, if you know your friend is a big fan of a certain celebrity or Twitter maven, see if you can arrange a short tweet of support from @justinbieber that says you deserve the argyle dog vest you’ve had your eye on.
*Note: Admittedly it might be difficult to get a bona fide celebrity (@pontifex, @BarackObama, @Oprah or @KatyPerry, etc) to respond to your request. However, Mowat researchers are equally respected messengers (according to internal polling), at least in the wonk world. We also have a lot more bandwidth for these requests. For now.
3) The path of least resistance
Setting the right “default” option is important. People often avoid making choices or they take the path of least resistance. So make it as easy as possible for family and friends to make the “right” choice when it comes to getting you a gift. You may want to set up a laptop at the breakfast table that’s open to amazon.ca, with your book order filled out and all relevant credit card information of your partner entered. When they stumble down for their morning coffee, a simple, easy click is all that stands between you and your goal!
4) Future visualization
What gets planned, gets done. Giving people a clear roadmap (even if it’s literally a roadmap) can make sure they get to the polling booth or vaccine clinic on time. If you know the exact location of your holy grail, such as the specific mall, store, aisle, and shelf, a nice clear map marking the spot could be placed strategically in a friend or loved one’s coat pocket. Or glued to their glove.
Remember, this isn’t about compelling people to do something they don’t want to do (that’s called going to your in-laws for dinner). This is about making the desired choice easier to discern, and easier to make, while allowing people the freedom to depart from the path. So, get nudging this holiday season to ensure your stocking is stuffed with the presents you want, and don’t forget to nudge yourself into some worthwhile giving (some good examples include the Toronto Star Santa Claus Fund and the United Way).
May your holidays be happy and filled with joy!
From all of us at the Mowat Centre.
Festivus for the rest of us!
Not everyone celebrates gift giving holidays this time of year. For those who observe the time-honoured tradition of Festivus, here’s some advice from the Mowat team on how to have a great:
“Festivus for the rest of us.”
The traditional Festivus dinner includes the annual airing of grievances, an almost holy recitation of all the ways others have disappointed you in the last year. This is one holiday tradition that Mowat truly takes to heart. In fact, we live the Festivus spirit of grievance-airing every day of the year. From wailing about Canada’s broken Equalization program to whining about its flawed Employment Insurance scheme, we air our disappointments every day.
And it seems many of our Twitter followers have also embraced this wonderful tradition.
The Feats of Strength
Years of physical inactivity have left many of us at Mowat without the necessary upper-body strength to take on family members in displays of physical prowess. Instead of pinning your opponent, we suggest wearing him or her down with a litany of facts and arguments about a topic nobody really understands or cares very much about. You’ll find our Fiscal Transfers series inspired reading here.
Festivus Miracles
Unlike the divine miracles of Christmas or Chanukah, Festivus miracles are trivial and easily explained. Add a sense of grandeur to your festivities by drawing attention to these every-day wonders. The federal government introduced its income-splitting scheme in a manner that didn’t penalize provinces! And you can now get milk in a three litre jug? These are truly Festivus miracles!
