Nudging toward long-term gains: Differential impacts of combined nudge strategies across age cohorts
Journal
Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics
Journal Volume
123
Start Page
102598
ISSN
2214-8043
Date Issued
2026-07
Author(s)
Abstract
Nudge theory proposes that subtle changes in choice architecture can influence behavior, motivating interventions in domains such as finance, health, and sustainability. However, limited research has examined the applicability of diverse combined nudge techniques in different age cohorts. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of three nudges (default, social norm, and positive framing) for two age groups: younger adults and older adults. Using an online insurance investment scenario, participants were nudged to choose long-term (4%) over short-term (6%) insurance plans. We deployed a three-way factorial design—2 (default, no default) by 2 (social norms, no social norms) by 2 (positive framing, no positive framing)—to which participants were randomly assigned. We found the effects increased with the number of different nudge techniques used, with no interaction effects among nudges. The combined effect of default and positive framing nudges was exclusively effective for younger adults, while the effect of default and social norm nudges worked better for older adults. These findings offer insights into age-specific nudge applications and advance understanding of age-related differences in decision-making.
Subjects
Age difference
Default nudge
Framing effects
Nudge theory
Social norm nudge
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Type
journal article