Nudge-reading and discussion
1. Define Libertarian Paternalism.
2. What is the difference between a nudge a noodge?
3. What is homo economicus or simply Econs?
4. What is the planning fallacy?
5. Describe status quo bias.
6. Why is Maximizing Choices problematic, in other words why is giving people more choices not necessarily a good thing?
7. Comment on the phrase: ordinary consumers are novices and how does this impact health promotion?
8. Explain what a choice architect is and provide an example of what they do?
9. Explain how Libertarian Paternalism is a promising foundation for bipartisanship.
Chapter 1
10. Describe availability heuristic:
11. What was Gilovich’s example of misperceptions of randomness and how does this relate to cancer clusters?
12. Explain what unrealistic optimism is as it relates to marriage.
13. What does loss averse mean?
14. How might status quo bias get someone into trouble?
15. Describe framing:
Chapter 2
16. Provide an example of dynamically inconsistent behavior as it relates to food consumption.
17. How do “hot” and “cold” states impact behavior and decision making?
18. Provide an example of what it means to be under the influence of arousal?
19. Explain the two system conception of self-control.
20. Describe Wansink’s research concerning mindless choosing.
21. Do you need to purchase “clocky”?
22. Who first suggested Day Light Savings time and why?
23. Provide an example of and describe the benefit(s) of non-interest savings account?
24. What does the expression money is “fungible” mean?
25. What does the expression “house money” mean and does it impact human behavior?
26. What is an arbitrage opportunity?
Chapter 3
27. What happened at Jonestown and why?
28. What were ties originally used for?
29. How does the following quote relate to health behavior: “If you care about what other people think about you (perhaps in the mistaken belief that they are paying attention to what you are doing…), then you might go along with the crowd to avoid their wrath or curry heir favor”
30. True or False? Teenage pregnancy, grades, and obesity are all contagious.
31. What is collective conservatism and provide an example.
32. What is pluralistic ignorance?
33. According to Asch, how had Nazism been made possible?
34. Explain the “Don’t Mess with Texas” effect.
35. What is the “spot light” effect?
36. To what extent do you agree with the following quote, can you provide an example? “An especially good way to gain weight is to have dinner with other people. On average, those who eat with one other person eat about 35 percent more than they do when they eat alone; members of a group of four eat about 75 percent more; those in groups of seven or more eat 96 percent more.”
37. Explain the “social norms” approach to alcohol use.
38. What is the “boomerang” effect?
39. What is the “mere measurement effect and how does it impact collecting data?
40. Asking people whether they intend to vote is an example of what health theory and construct?
41. What are “channel factors?”
Chapter 4
42. What is the golden rule of libertarian paternalism?
43. Do free markets exacerbate or mitigate the effects of human frailty? Explain your answer.
44. What is “asymmetric paternalism”?
45. What are “investment goods” and “sinful” goods and how do they impact health?
46. What is the key to enhance learning?
47. From a health perspective what does the following quote mean “…we usually get feedback only on the options we select, not the ones we reject.”
48. Why is buying an extended warranty typically a questionable financial decision.
Chapter 5
49. What are dead man switches and how may they prevent unintentional injury?
50. Provide an example of a “required choice.”
51. Provide an example of an error forgiving intervention.
52. What is “postcompletion” error?
53. What is a “forcing function?”
54. How did choice architects make taking the birth control pill automatic?
55. What is a compensatory strategy?
56. How does “elimination by aspects” help people to make decisions?
57. What is “collaborative filtering?”
58. What are the four questions to ask concerning incentives?
59. What do you think about cost disclosing thermostats? Will these work better than simply increasing the price of electricity, why or why not?
60. What is the acronym for the six principles of good choice architecture?
Part III Health
Chapter 10
61. How many people were randomly assigned into Part D, and why was this problematic?
62. What was the Government’s rationale for rejecting intelligent assignment?
63. What was the price difference between the lowest costing plan vs. the random assignment plan?
64. At the time, why was the Medicare Website not very helpful to seniors?
65. Describe Maine’s “Intelligent Assignment” program.
66. How does RECAP work?
Chapter 11
67. When did the first successful organ transplant occur and which organ was it?
68. What percentage of transplants, come from deceased donors?
69. What percentage will die while on the waiting list for an organ?
70. What organ is commonly needed for transplant?
71. Should people be able to sell their own body organ, say, a kidney, for example?
72. Why are only 50% of “brain dead” patients utilized for organ donation?
73. How does explicit consent, routine removal, and presumed consent impact organ donation?
74. How did consent rates differ between Austria and Germany?
75. How did the state of Illinois address organ donor issue?
76. How did Illinois use social norms strategies to increase organ donation?
Chapter 12
77. Provide an example of a command and control regulation strategy.
78. What are “transaction costs”?
79. Explain what “tragedy of the commons” means.
80. Explain the cap-and-trade system regarding environmental protection.
81. Explain the acid deposition program.
82. What do you think the following quote means in its regards to petroleum consumption vs. envirmentalism: “…the costs of pollution are hidden, while the price at the pump is quite salient.”
83. How did the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act influence environmental health?
84. What is an “environmental blacklist?”
85. What do you think about the authors’ idea of creating a “Greenhouse Gas Inventory”?
86. To what extent do you think placing the anticipated annual gas expense on a car sticker will influence car sales and ultimately impact the environment? What about posting the anticipated five year expense?
87. Describe how hotels in Europe help control utility expenses?
88. Explain how an “Ambient Orb” influenced energy conservation.
89. What do you think of the Wattson?
90. Describe the Energy Star Office Products program.