Article

When and how incentives (don't) work to modify behavior?

Authors:
To read the full-text of this research, you can request a copy directly from the authors.

No full-text available

Request Full-text Paper PDF

To read the full-text of this research,
you can request a copy directly from the authors.

... Price is a crucial influencing tool even in the broader climate change mitigation, adaptation, and environmental conservation interventions, given the central role of money in decisionmaking [24,29]. However, the application of price in resource conservation is constrained by social and political barriers to its use and acceptance of a high enough price point [49][50][51]. Price may also have a small effect size that is insufficient for policy objectives, as seen in the case of carbon pricing where it has not impacted much [50]. ...
... Further, our results suggest that when price was used, it did not work uniformly across households. The presence of price even increased resource use by some users, indicating an adverse effect [14,49,52]. This is similar to the rebound effect, where technological efficiency is interpreted as a license to inattentive usage [53]. ...
... Price and non-price interventions have been studied extensively as policy options [10,29]. One of the critical behavioral challenges with using price as a policy tool is the tension between extrinsic and intrinsic motivation [13,14,49,54]; market norms take over from social norms when a price is introduced. Our study shows that this tension could be partially overcome through a better design based on proven behavioral theories. ...
Article
Full-text available
Marginal pricing has long been the instrument of choice to address water conservation challenges. More recently, non-price behavioral interventions have emerged as an alternative. However, there is limited data on the relative efficacies of price and non-price interventions. We report results from long-term field experiments studying unit-level water conservation responses to both price and non-price interventions in the same group of households (n = 64 186 household-days). Conservation habits, attitude-action gaps, principal-agent incongruities, and billing cycles help account for the heterogeneity in response between households, and across time. A non-price behavior modification intervention before the introduction of marginal pricing resulted in a large and significant effect on treated households (33%). The subsequent introduction of marginal volumetric pricing also reduced water use (8%, for previously untreated households). However, this average price effect masks how a large share (21%) of households increased water use, or how a mere 12% of the households accounted for all the aggregate reduction in water use. We investigated such heterogeneous responses as a systematic conservation maximization design question beyond statistical variance in individual responses. We used daily water consumption measurements across three years alongside a household survey to delineate structural and agentic barriers to conservation behavior. Our analysis reveals how combining price and non-price behavioral interventions could hold the key to achieving conservation effects that are both large and persistent.
... Based on the majority of literature results, financial incentives are the most effective (Lu and Wang, 2022), they have a very important role in influencing recycling behavior (Östlin et al., 2008;Gneezy et al., 2011;Miliute-Plepiene et al., 2016;Knickmeyer, 2020;Jarossová et al., 2023;Martinho et al., 2024), especially in poorer segments of the population (Drašković et al., 2011). However, these must be large enough to provide sufficient extrinsic justification to follow the behavior (Thøgersen, 2003;Arriagada et al., 2022), this is confirmed by Dempster et al. (2021) as well. ...
... In contrast, according to Konstantoglou et al. (2023), although financial incentives have a role, this factor is not among the most important in the use of DRS. These incentives are more effective in the short, maximum medium term, in the long term the positive effect may disappear (Gneezy et al., 2011), a kind of rewarddependency may develop instead of the strengthening of social norms (Martinho et al., 2024), and even proenvironmental attitudes can weaken (Roca et al., 2022). In contrast to external (extrinsic) collectors, the system that rewards internal (intrinsic) collectors is the one that is sustainable in the long term (Šmaguc et al., 2023). ...
Article
Full-text available
In Hungary, from January 1, 2024, the Government Decree of the 450/2023 (X. 4.) regulates the conditions for establishing and applying the deposit fee for pet bottles, metal cans, and glass bottles. The new Deposit-Refund System has been of serious interest among Hungarian consumers, since its rules interfere in the everyday lives of ordinary people, sometimes imposing a greater or lesser financial burden on them. The aim of our research was to find out the preliminary perceptions of Hungarian consumers about this system even before its introduction, since these perceptions can significantly influence its consumer acceptance in the future and provide an opportunity to examine and deal with critical factors in advance, and to reduce preliminary consumer concerns. To reach our research aim we conducted an online consumer survey with 8,225 people. According to our results, about half of the respondents consider the introduction of the new rules to be a promising idea, but at the same time, two-thirds of the respondents feel more or less discomfort about the new system. The preliminary expectations are therefore mostly negative, especially in the 'Those worried' and 'Those refusing' consumer segments. In addition to discomfort, environmental doubts and economic concerns also appear in consumer opinions, which can hinder the adoption of the new system.
... Currently, research on extrinsic and intrinsic motivations in the field of farmers' pro-environmental behavior mainly focuses on forest conservation (Gneezy et al. 2011), water resource utilization (Bowles and Polanía-Reyes 2012), and resource recycling (García-Amado et al. 2013). Moreover, these studies are predominantly conducted in developed economies in Europe and the United States. ...
... The extrinsic motivation for FLQPB refers to the starting point for farmers to engage in land quality protection activities, aiming to increase income or reduce costs. It involves the need for continuous extrinsic incentives, especially economic incentives such as ecological compensation, to maintain this behavior (Gneezy et al. 2011). The extrinsic motivation of individual behavior is a core issue in economics. ...
Article
Full-text available
The crowding effect of individual behavior motivation is a focal point in various disciplines, such as economics and social psychology. Understanding the motivation crowding effect in the context of pro-environmental behavior of farmers is crucial for formulating agricultural environmental policies. However, there is limited knowledge about the motivation crowding effect on farmers’ land quality protection behavior, especially in developing countries. This study employs stratified regression models, propensity score matching models, seemingly unrelated regression models, and simple slope analysis methods to analyze the impact of extrinsic motivations (external incentives such as increasing farming income and production yield) and intrinsic motivations (internal drives such as personal satisfaction and responsibility) on farmers’ land quality protection behavior, as well as the motivation crowding effect between extrinsic and intrinsic motivations. The analysis is based on survey data from 1064 smallholder farmers in five provinces in China: Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Henan, Shaanxi, and Gansu. The results indicate that both extrinsic and intrinsic motivations have a positive impact on farmers’ land quality protection behavior. Notably, extrinsic motivation exhibits a crowding-out effect on intrinsic motivation, suggesting a motivation crowding effect. While promoting farmers’ land quality protection behavior through economic incentives is a feasible short-term solution, it may not effectively foster the long-term formation of such behaviors. Given the current context of severe land pollution, alleviating this issue through economic incentives represents a short-term policy approach. Thus, transitioning from short-term to long-term solutions by enhancing farmers’ intrinsic motivation to promote farmers’ land quality protection behavior is essential for the government to consider in future land protection policy formulation.
... Despite extensive research on the causes of high vacancy rates, such as supply-demand imbalances (Fallis, 1984;Schneider, 2019) and the search and matching theory (Guasch et al., 1985;Kopczuk & Munroe, 2015), the question of how to activate these unoccupied homes persists. While macroeconomic studies offer insights into the socioeconomic impacts of housing vacancies, and behavioral economics provides theories on individual decision-making processes (Ellen & O'Regan, 2011;Glaeser & Gyourko, 2018;Gneezy et al., 2011;Stacy, 2018), there is a scarcity of integrated approaches that consider the interplay between policy measures and individual landlord behaviors. Only Ménard (2012) and Segú (2020) pointed out taxation as a potential tool to persuade homeowners to introduce their vacant properties into the housing market. ...
... In the context of reducing housing vacancies, these strategies can manifest as incentives ("carrots") for leasing out vacant units and penalties ("sticks") for keeping them unoccupied. Traditional economic theories suggest that increasing financial incentives should lead to increased effort, as individuals seek to maximize their utility (Ayres, 2010;Gneezy et al., 2011). Yet the actual situation in Taiwan provides a contrasting perspective, challenging this established idea. ...
Article
Full-text available
Housing affordability and high vacancy rates are pressing issues faced by countries worldwide, with notable challenges arising in many parts of Asia. This study, taking Taipei as a representative model, investigates the strategic interactions among governments, homeowners, and rental service providers in the utilization of vacant houses. By employing a tripartite evolutionary game model, we found that a balanced strategy integrating both incentives (“carrots”) and penalties (“sticks”) outperforms single-pronged approaches. It’s vital to calibrate these incentives with homeowners’ perceived efforts and risks. Our findings advocate for a dual policy approach: offering incentives to homeowners and raising holding costs for vacant properties. Furthermore, we emphasize the crucial role of rental service providers, indicating that enhanced regulations could bolster trust and invigorate the rental market. While the study focuses on Taipei, the findings offer broader implications for housing economics debates.
... On the other hand, other organizations provide incentives with the explicit intention of improving student motivation and ultimately student achievement (e.g., MacDonald et al., 2009), with some incentives aimed specifically at low-income students intending to reduce their financial burden (e.g., Mayer, Patel, Rudd, & Ratledge, 2015). However, questions of what effect performance-based financial incentives have on higher education students and questions of the context in which performance-based financial incentives actually work remain largely unanswered (Camerer & Hogarth, 1999;Gneezy et al., 2011). ...
... The crowding-out theory postulates that financial rewards adversely affect actors' intrinsic motives, leading to decreased motivation and performance (Bowles & Polania-Reyes, 2012;Deci, 1975). It has been established that financial incentives produce two kinds of effects simultaneously: the standard price effect makes incentivized behavior more attractive, and the crowding-out effect reduces the intrinsic motives for undertaking an incentivized task (Frey & Jegen, 2001;Gneezy et al., 2011;List et al., 2018). A meta-analysis by Deci et al. (2001) supports this by showing that tangible rewards strongly undermine intrinsic motivation and self-reported interest among college students. ...
Article
Full-text available
Many institutions provide financial incentives for higher education students contingent on their performance, hoping to increase their motivation and achievement. The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the effects of performance-based financial incentives on higher education students using causal evidence. A total of 18 randomized controlled trials involving 20,286 students were included. Performance-based financial incentives increased the number of college credits earned, marginally improved student grade point averages, and improved exam scores when targeted at a single subject. No evidence was found for differential effects on student populations by gender or first-generation college status. Neither the incentive amount nor a focus on low-income students influenced the incentive effectiveness in improving student grade point averages or credits earned. Tentative evidence suggests that incentive designs in which the number of reward recipients is limited are more beneficial to students from the upper median level of high school grade point average. Hence, the study implies that it is more beneficial to provide lower-amount incentives attainable by a larger number of students than to provide higher-amount incentives attainable only by a small number of students. The results of this meta-analysis are of interest for researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders in higher education involved in designing financial incentive schemes for higher education students – providing a substantial step toward evidence-based practice.
... The existence, nature, size, and framing of the incentive convey either positive or negative signals to stakeholders. Too small an incentive may suggest that policymakers think the behaviour is unimportant, whereas if too high it can suggest policymakers consider the behaviour too complicated for stakeholders or that they are only self-interested (Gneezy et al. 2011). Thus, poorly designed incentives can reduce stakeholders' willingness to adopt a safe practice, even once it is removed. ...
... Thus, poorly designed incentives can reduce stakeholders' willingness to adopt a safe practice, even once it is removed. Incentives are more effective when framed in a way that preserves stakeholders' feelings of trust and autonomy rather than through control or challenging social norms, image concerns, and other social motivations (Gneezy et al. 2011) as illustrated by Bahraseman et al. (2024). ...
Article
Full-text available
In low- and middle-income countries, inadequate sanitation results in faecal contamination of the water used by urban farmers for irrigation. Consumers of raw contaminated vegetables run the risk of developing diarrhoeal diseases and helminth infections, which are a leading cause of under-five mortality and impact the well-being and productivity of millions of adults. This review identifies the evidence base for assessing which factors determine the success and/or failure of interventions that aim to manage the risk of faecal contamination in the urban irrigated vegetable value chain. We carried out a systematic search of the literature from the perspective of the COM-B behaviour framework (Capability + Opportunity + Motivation = Behaviour). Our results reveal that most interventions address stakeholders’ opportunity or capability to adopt safe practices without adequately considering their motivation. Interventions often focus on one sector rather than on the whole value chain (sanitation, agriculture, trade, consumption). To effectively change hygiene and food safety practices in the urban irrigated vegetable value chain, stakeholders’ intrinsic motivations need to be identified. Where WHO's multi-barrier approach is the best option, we recommend building on local multistakeholder platforms and adopting a behaviour change framework to support the largely technical change from farm to fork.
... Economic experts emphasize the significance of incentives, which motivate individuals to work harder and achieve better results, rooted in radical behaviorism (Gneezy et al., 2011;The Library of Economics and Liberty, 2021). According to the incentive theory, extrinsic rewards and other forms of external reinforcement influence behavior more than internal factors (Cherry, 2023). ...
... The results align with radical behaviorism (Gneezy et al., 2011) and the incentive theory of motivation (The Library of Economics and Liberty, 2021), which holds that humans are motivated by rewards and reinforcement. We found even small rewards, having almost no monetary value, were priceless to boost motivation and encourage positive behavioral change toward ICT use. ...
Article
Full-text available
In the 21st century, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is a critical component of innovative teaching and learning. This study looked at the impact of teachers' autonomy on their perceived ease of using ICT and the intricate relationship between the two, involving their self‐efficacy, job satisfaction, and perceived incentives to change. Using a descriptive survey approach, 311 (134 female) Indian elementary school teachers participated in the study and provided self‐reported data. A structural equation model was employed to test the mediating roles of self‐efficacy and job satisfaction, and the moderation of perceived incentives. The results affirmed that teacher autonomy had a direct and moderately positive effect on their perceived ease of ICT use. Self‐efficacy and job satisfaction significantly and partially mediated the indirect relationships between autonomy and ease of ICT use. In the three relationship paths the perceived incentive to change had a significantly positive moderation to catalyze the relationships. Considering Indian elementary school teachers' glaring lack of autonomy, this paper suggests a policy shift involving greater teacher autonomy and the use of incentives for improved efficacy, job satisfaction, and ICT use. The relationship matrix will serve as a reference for researchers and practitioners to gain a deeper understanding of the role of teacher autonomy in addressing the global issue of limited adoption and integration of ICT by school teachers.
... Third, the paper highlights the importance that policymakers, before enacting policies, carefully consider if policies will correctly incentivize the desired behavior. This is a consideration that has been brought to the forefront in tax collection literature's several recent papers (Yang, 2008;Alm, 2010;Paula and Scheinkman, 2010;Gillitzer and Skov, 2013;Carrillo et al., 2017;Slemrod et al., 2017;Almunia and Lopez-Rodriguez, 2018) and -importantly for us to highlight-in several other areas of economics research, including crime economics, ecological economics, labor economics, public sector economics, business economics, and economics of innovation (Becker, 1968;Frey and Oberholzer-Gee, 1997;Gneezy and Rustichini, 2000;Fehr and List, 2004;Gneezy and List, 2006;Mulder et al. 2006;Bowles, 2008;Bowles and Hwang, 2008;Ellingsen and Johannesson, 2008;Georgellis et al. 2011;Gneezy et al., 2011;Bowles and Polania-Reyes, 2012;Kerr et al. 2012;Madrian, 2014, Weaver, 2015Dai and Wang, 2024). Finally, it presents a simple policy recommendation to prevent tax evasion that consists of limiting unlimited refilings. ...
Article
Full-text available
While allowing the refiling of taxes in the case of legitimate mistakes is reasonable, there is empirical evidence showing that the unlimited ability to refile may incentivize evasion. However, theoretical models examining limiting unlimited refilings are nonexistent. Therefore, this paper develops a model to study the role of allowing an unlimited number of tax refilings on the behavior of taxpayers that received tax notifications because they under-reported taxes, as it was seen in the case of Ecuador between 2010 and 2012. Among other things, the key finding of the examination is that, if taxpayers are allowed to refile as many times as they want, the best decision for selfish taxpayers is to evade taxes. Contributing to the tax compliance literature but from a broader perspective as well, this paper demonstrates the importance of considering behavior through careful theoretical analysis before implementing new tax policies.
... Using novel field data on employees' ESPP participation history, we provide new evidence on how profit-sharing distributions affect subsequent participation decisions. We contribute to research on compensation and cultural context (Bénabou and Tirole, 2003;Gneezy et al., 2011) by demonstrating that responses to profit-sharing can vary systematically across countries with different social preference profiles. This suggests firms should consider cultural context when designing and implementing share-based compensation programs. ...
Article
Full-text available
Introduction Firms use various forms of equity-based compensation to allow employees to participate in their success. Methods We examine how an unannounced profit-sharing distribution (PSD) affects participation in Employee stock purchase plans (ESPPs), which offer discounted shares. Using panel data from a multinational firm, we find counterbalancing effects of the PSD. Results While it attracts new participants to the ESPP, a similar share of former participants exit the program after receiving the distribution. This latter effect is particularly pronounced in countries characterized by higher average levels of prosociality. Discussion Our findings suggest that unexpected profit sharing can have heterogeneous effects on ESPP participation across different cultural contexts.
... Given high opportunity costs or the perceived value of missing a match, NSB may reflect competing priorities. This assumption is supported by our finding that reminders offering a probabilistic material reward had the most significant effect, consistent with the economics literature on monetary incentives driving short-term behavioral change (Gneezy et al., 2011). This suggests that STHs who can afford to miss multiple home matches without financial loss evaluate the utility of stadium admission on a match-by-match basis. ...
... Studi lain mengenai kompensasi berbasis insentif menyatakan bahwa sebenarnya kompensasi berbasis insentif yang dirancang oleh perusahaan juga dapat menjadi boomerang bagi perusahaan karena insentif yang bersifat ekstrinsik ini dapat mempengaruhi motivasi intrinsik yang penting dimana motivasi intrinsik menghasilkan perilaku yang diinginkan sehingga juga dapat menurunkan kinerja pekerjaan (Gneezy et al., 2011;Kohn, 1993;Ledford et al., 2013). Sistem pemberian insentif juga diakui memiliki efek yang terbatas (Parker et al., 2018). ...
Article
This study aims to test and provide empirical evidence of the effect of incentive-based compensation as extrinsic motivation on managerial performance. This study also used individual intrinsic motivation, namely the big five personality traits to test the moderating role affecting the relationship between incentive-based compensation and managerial performance. This quantitative research was conducted using a survey method of managers, with a total of 115 participants. The results showed that incentive-based compensation affects managerial performance. The big five personality traits, extraversion, and conscientiousness, significantly weakened the relationship between incentive-based compensation and managerial performance in this study. However, agreeableness and openness had no significant effect in weakening the relationship. Neuroticism also did not significantly strengthen the relationship between incentive-based compensation and managerial performance. Keywords: Incentive-based Compensation; Managerial Performance; Big Five Personality Traits
... Also, does the framing of outcomes in numbers activate an economic mindset (cf. Gneezy et al., 2011)? What if the outcomes are depicted by own and other's faces that systematically vary in terms of sadness versus happiness (see Grzelak et al., 1988)? ...
Article
Full-text available
The Triple Dominance Measure (choosing between prosocial, individualistic, and competitive options) and the Slider Measure (“sliding” between various orientations, for example, from individualistic to prosocial) are two widely used techniques to measure social value orientation, that is, the weight individuals assign to own and others’ outcomes in interdependent situations. Surprisingly, there is only moderate correspondence between these measures, but it is unclear why and what the implications are for identifying individual differences in social value orientation. Using a dataset of 8021 participants from 31 countries and regions, this study revealed that the Slider Measure identified fewer competitors than the Triple Dominance Measure, accounting for approximately one-third of the non-correspondence between the two measures. This is (partially) because many of the Slider items do not afford a competitive option. In items where competition is combined with individualism, competitors tended to make the same choices as individualists. Futhermore, we demonstrated the uniqueness of competitors. Compared to prosocials and individualists, competitors exhibited lower levels of both social mindfulness and trust. Overall, the present work highlights the importance of situational affordances in measuring personality, the benefits of distinguishing between individualists and competitors, and the importance of utilizing a measure that distinguishes between these two proself orientations.
... Although there does not appear to be a great deal of literature on social rewards in educational development programs, some research exists supporting the notion that faculty respond to intrinsic motivators more than to extrinsic motivators (Siddique et al., 2011). In comparing the two types of rewards, economic rewards typically are seen as ineffective for changing long-term behavior (Gneezy et al., 2011). In an often-cited work, Deci et al. (2001) report that intrinsic motivation can be undermined by extrinsic rewards. ...
... 41 A meta-analysis of RCTs 42 found that even small incentives can result in a statistically significant increase in participant consent and response rates. However, using incentives can be complex 41 and ethically questionable, 43 necessitating careful consideration in their design. Second, qualitative interviews could be useful for understanding the feasibility elements of the study. ...
Article
Full-text available
Objective To evaluate the feasibility of an online evidence-based leadership training programme for nurse leaders and its potential effectiveness in improving nurse leaders’ evidence-based leadership competencies. Design This is a two-arm, parallel, feasibility randomised controlled trial. Methods We screened all 160 nurse leaders from two Chinese hospitals. Eligible participants who gave their informed consent were randomly assigned to either an evidence-based leadership training group or a conventional online training group at each site and received a 7-month intervention. Pre-test and post-test assessments gauged feasibility and potential effectiveness. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed for data analysis. Results Of the 160 screened participants, 119 (74%) were assigned to the intervention group (n=59, 50%) or active control group (n=60, 50%). In the intervention group, the number of participant logins in the modules ranged from 21 (36%) to 58 (98%), while in the control group, it ranged from 20 (33%) to 57 (95%). Participants in the intervention group (n=59) completed 42% of the 531 assigned tasks, while the control group (n=60) completed 41% of their 540 assigned tasks. Regarding course task adherence, participants in the intervention group returned 3.8 (SD=3.2) tasks (out of 9 tasks), while the control group returned 3.7 (SD=3.5) tasks (out of 9 tasks). A total of 22 (18%) out of 119 participants dropped out of the study, with 9 (15%) out of 59 from the intervention group and 13 (22%) out of 60 from the control group. Conclusions While the intervention demonstrated a degree of feasibility, measures can still be taken to improve intervention acceptability, course adherence and course task adherence. A full and powered randomised controlled trial is needed to test the intervention’s effectiveness and to ensure the feasibility of the study in clinical settings. Trail registration number ClinicalTrials.gov, numbers NCT05244499 .
... Customer behavior in posting reviews plays a crucial role in shaping review quality [42][43][44]. Review quality, driven by star ratings and content, affects product evaluation and customer decisions [45]. Verifying authenticity and mitigating fraud is crucial [46] for enhancing review quality, which builds trust and aids in purchase decisions [9]. ...
Article
Full-text available
Online reviews play a crucial role in influencing seller–customer dynamics. This research evaluates the credibility and consistency of reviews based on volume, length, and content to understand the impacts of incentives on customer review behaviors, how to improve review quality, and decision-making in purchases. The data analysis reveals major factors such as costs, support, usability, and product features that may influence the impact. The analysis also highlights the indirect impact of company size, the direct impact of user experience, and the varying impacts of changing conditions over the years on the volume of incentive reviews. This study uses methodologies such as Sentence-BERT (SBERT), TF-IDF, spectral clustering, t-SNE, A/B testing, hypothesis testing, and bootstrap distribution to investigate how semantic variances in reviews could be used for personalized shopping experiences. It reveals that incentive reviews have minimal to no impact on purchasing decisions, which is consistent with the credibility and consistency analysis in terms of volume, length, and content. The negligible impact of incentive reviews on purchase decisions underscores the importance of authentic online feedback. This research clarifies how review characteristics sway consumer choices and provides strategic insights for businesses to enhance their review mechanisms and customer engagement.
... Punitive incentives have been shown to engender distrust between management and employees (Christ et al., 2012), however in another study it was suggested that employees perform best when punitive incentives are used (Gonzalez et al., 2020). Overall incentives seem to offer some positives and negatives however it is noted that incentivisation removes employee choice and that if this incentive were to cease, employee behaviour may return to a pre-incentive state with no long-term improvement seen (Gneezy et al., 2011) however this may warrant investigation in future studies. ...
Article
The European Commission recently adopted Commission Regulation (EU) Citation2021/382 requiring food businesses to establish and provide evidence of a food safety culture (FSC). FSC incorporates management systems, risk perceptions, leadership, communication, environment and commitment to ensure food safety. This review (n = 20) investigates food safety interventions in food businesses to identify effective strategies to improve food safety practices and FSC, and to provide recommendations for improving FSC. Results found that most interventions focused on knowledge training and that workplace practical demonstrations produced the best outcomes. Similar training topics were used evidencing the existence of common training needs. Frequent training over longer time periods was most successful for behavioral change, yet no sustained behavioral change was reported, indicating that single knowledge-based interventions are insufficient, reinforcing repeated experiential learning to be incorporated into training. We suggest that FSC training should focus on FSC more broadly, rather than solely on knowledge training, and that management leadership skills in particular are important to ensure sustained positive change. This study contributes to knowledge by providing a summative overview of food safety interventions and how components of these may be used to enhance FSC in food businesses.
... As highlighted above, image motives relate to the motivation to enact behavior, not because one will receive external rewards for doing so (i.e., extrinsic factors) or because one is driven by an internal desire to "do the right thing" (intrinsic factors), but because by doing so, an individual can fulfill their need to be liked and respected by others and themself [15]. While there is evidence that image concerns may be relevant in motivating citizens' green behaviors [35], such as their tendency to recycle [36] and to purchase green products [16,17], we currently know little about how and when image motives trigger sustainable practices within organizations. In this study, we explore how image discrepancies motivate hairdressers to invest in sustainable practices as they seek to enhance feelings of respect within their organizations, as well as among the clients and communities they serve. ...
Article
This study explores image discrepancies as motivators for sustainable practice adoption in the hairdressing industry. Textual responses from open-ended surveys (n = 166) and semi-structured interviews (n = 14) of UK hairdressers revealed discrepancies between their perceptions of the occupation’s current image and desired image and between how they viewed their occupation and how it was seen by their clients. These arose from the perception that hairdressing was undervalued and partially stigmatized and currently failed to live up to sustainable, professional ideals. Our analysis showed that by engaging with sustainability concerns hairdressers could present themselves as experts helping to address societal issues through haircare, thus claiming a more prestigious occupational status/image. In doing so, we shed light on image discrepancies as motivating factors towards sustainable practice. This study also has practical implications for how to motivate ethical and sustainable practices in small and medium-sized enterprises, with implications for individuals, businesses, and broader society.
... Universal subsidies might not be affordable, but a well-targeted allocation of matching grants into pension accounts for certain categories of informal sector workers -using disaggregated data such as those presented in this paper, for example -is one way to incentivize pension participation (Asafu-Adjaye, 2022; Guven, 2019; Kpessa-Whyte & Tsekpo, 2020). But while incentives have increasingly been adopted in different fields to attain certain objectives, they would require due diligence if applied in the CCS and need to be considered cautiously in terms of their design, how they might work to complement or hinder the instinctive motivation necessary to spur on the desired behaviour in the longer term, and the implications of their withdrawal at a later stage (Gneezy et al., 2011). Finally, evidence from other studies also suggests that the higher the level of financial or pension literacy, the more inclined workers are to participate in savings or pension schemes. ...
Article
Full-text available
Economic insecurity represents an existential threat to many workers, not least those in the Creative and Cultural Sector (CCS). Based on recent survey data from Ghanaian musicians gathered between April 2022 and March 2023, this paper presents indicative findings which demonstrate a persistent pension savings gap, with only about one in seven musicians in the sample (14.6%) reporting participation in a pension scheme – explained by both demand-side reasons (i.e. indecision about enrolment, not having the financial wherewithal to contribute regularly or not knowing about existing pension schemes) and supply-side reasons (i.e. limited pension options developed with the involvement of musicians). The paper also finds that while education level, age, location, and marital/family status appear to be important factors, in relative terms, there was little evidence to suggest that any group was more likely than the other to participate in a pension scheme. To improve pensions uptake, the paper argues that a long overdue, deliberate policy strategy should involve piloting a dedicated group personal pension scheme for musicians and testing savings commitments in the case of voluntary schemes over the long term and short term, respectively, with both going hand in hand with pension literacy programmes and incentives, wherever necessary.
... Hence, the inability to pay taxes may lead to a higher extrinsic motivation to comply with tax rules. Alternatively, the extrinsic motivation may crowd out the intrinsic motivation to comply (Gneezy et al., 2011). Furthermore, the direct effect of mental budgeting is lower than for the intrinsically motivated tax compliance, for similar reasons. ...
Article
Full-text available
Introduction Self-employed people without personnel mostly behave like consumers in managing their business finances, frequently leading to ill-management of the company finances. Ill-management may lead to inability to fulfill important financial obligations and making financial arrangements for the future. Here, we investigate the hypothesis that financial management is related to tax compliance. Methods We use having an overview of expenses, making ends meet, occurrence of a business bank overdraft, and how long the business could survive without income, as indicators of financial management. Four measures of tax compliance, i.e., the OECD measure of tax compliance, measures taken by the tax administration, enforced tax compliance, and voluntary tax compliance, and two measures of social security, i.e., pension and disability arrangements, are included. We use survey data from a sample of 1,191 Dutch self-employed people without personnel, roughly equally divided between starters ( ≤ 3 years in business) and non-starters (>3 years in business). Results We found both significant direct and indirect effects of mental budgeting on tax compliance and social security arrangements, thus showing incomplete mediation effects of financial management. Discussion The mediation effects of having an overview of expenses were relatively strong for the OECD and voluntary compliance measures, whereas the mediation effects of not making ends meet and bank overdrafts were relatively strong for measures taken by the tax administration and enforced compliance, thus indicating different financial management processes matching different motivations of tax compliance.
... The counterargument, however, is that these extrinsic incentivisation of behaviour could backfire by crowding out intrinsic motivations that are essential to producing the desired behaviour in the long run (Gneezy et al., 2011). Although many nudge techniques seem to achieve their intended effects under controlled settings, it uncertain whether they would work outside of the study environment. ...
... This type of incentive might at first lead to an increase in the target behavior, but as shown by numerous research studies, when the monetary incentives are removed, the behavior returns to baseline (Bolderdijk & Steg, 2015;Bolderdijk et al., 2011;Maki et al., 2016;Kaiser et al., 2020;Van Der Linden, 2015). A second effect of monetary incentives is the possibility of the crowding effect (Frey, 1994): if people become accustomed to enacting a behavior (such as pro-environmental behavior) solely to receive a reward, it will undermine intrinsic motivation and the feeling of moral commitment attached to the action (Bolderdijk & Steg, 2015;Gneezy et al., 2011), explaining the lack of effectiveness of monetary rewards over the long term (Van Der Linden, 2015). In a study by Zeiske and colleagues (2021), the incentive for using public transportation to work (i. ...
... Human clinical trial participants may find studies where compensation was not provided to be disrespectful of their time and effort, and some participants judge gift cards and other non-cash incentives to be patronizing and inadequate (16). However, incentives can also deter study recruitment if they are interpreted to undermine a participant's contribution (e.g., participation is viewed as transactional instead of altruistic) or to be indicative of the risk of the study (35)(36)(37). Careful consideration is needed to find the best ways to incorporate incentives into clinical trial design and conduct until additional evidence-based recommendations are available. ...
Article
Full-text available
A successful clinical trial requires participants, but many factors can impede effective study recruitment. To better recruit for quality veterinary clinical trials in client-owned animals that lead to improved evidence-based patient care and outcomes, there is a collective need to share and implement current best practices for recruitment strategies. These strategies should utilize a holistic view of recruitment, encompassing study design and logistics, representative participation, incentives, personnel resources, advertising, and participant retention. Although human clinical trial data and resources can provide guidance, effort also needs to be put into evaluating current practices and opportunities for process improvement that are specific to the conduct of veterinary clinical trials. Considering the power of pets as naturally occurring models of disease and as sentinels, improved conduct of veterinary clinical research has the potential to inform human health outcomes. Continued development of collaborations surrounding best practices and training opportunities in veterinary clinical research will improve the impact of veterinary clinical trials teams, while also promoting workforce development and alternate career paths for veterinary professionals.
... Nikishina, V. V. Ivanov, O. A. Markova тели взаимности, альтруизма и доверия; 2) описывающий склонность нести из держки для наказания других за отклонение от нормы (социальное и антисоци альное наказание); 3) соответствующий избеганию неравенства.Важное приложение социальных предпочтений, обсуждаемых поведенче скими экономистами, заключается в том, что денежная мотивация часто вытес няет внутреннюю мотивацию к совершению определенных действий[Benabou, Tirole, 2006;Gneezy, Meier, Rey Biel, 2011]. В частности, выплата вознаграждений за донорство крови подрывает внутреннюю мотивацию, снижая число доноров ...
Article
Full-text available
В статье представлен обзор поведенческих аномалий, проявляющихся в разных сферах жизни человека и на разных этапах принятия решения. Логика описания поведенческих аномалий выстроена в соответствии с возможностью влиять на их возникновение: мы начинаем с аномалий в предпочтениях — наболее устойчивом паттерне, переходя далее к нестандартным убеждениям, которые могут быть скорректированы компаниями и регулирующими органами. Далее мы обсуждаем нестандартное принятие решений — сферу, которая потенциально связана с возможностью государства и фирм влиять на людей. В статье описываются особенности нестандартных предпочтений: 1) предпочтений с точками отсчета, означающих, что человек оценивает полезность объекта в зависимости от тех ориентиров, с которыми он сравнивает его или его характеристики, 2) неустойчивых во времени предпочтений, которые предполагают несовершенство самоконтроля человека и более сильное влияние текущих выгод и издержек на решения по сравнению с отложенными, 3) социальных предпочтений, которые объясняют, как люди реагируют на социальные стимулы, то есть на действия, ожидания и выигрыши других людей. Кроме того, в статье обсуждаются последствия использования людьми несовершенных суждений — смещенных относительно реальности или шумных (статистических суждений, учета мнения других людей, эвристик и др.). Формулировка выбора и восприятие его человеком могут приводить к возникновению аномалий при принятии решений, что лежит в основе архитектуры выбора и теории подталкивания (или наджинга). В заключении авторы суммируют результаты исследований о различиях в выраженности поведенческих аномалий в разных социально-демографических группах, что позволяет использовать обобщенные в статье особенности поведения людей при рассмотрении широкого круга вопросов, связанных с деятельностью компаний и экономической политикой.
Article
Importance Prior studies found that financial incentives have small, positive direct effects in increasing COVID-19 vaccination rates, but unmeasured social spillovers (ie, changes in outcomes among untreated individuals who are socially exposed to policy beneficiaries) may diminish the overall effect of such policies. Objective To assess the spillover effects of a COVID-19 vaccination financial incentive and assess whether incorporating estimates of spillover meaningfully affects broader evaluations of policy effectiveness. Design, Setting, and Participants This population-level, address-cluster randomized clinical trial was conducted in November 2021. Participants were all adult (aged ≥18 years) residents of Ravensburg, Germany, who were randomly assigned to the treatment or control group. One resident in each address cluster was randomly selected to be an address-cluster representative. Address-cluster representatives in the treatment group received the treatment letter; all other cohabitants at that same address received the control letter. All individuals in addresses randomly assigned to the control group were mailed a control letter. Intention-to-treat data analysis was conducted from January 2022 to May 2024. Intervention Control letters informed recipients about 7 upcoming free COVID-19 vaccination events. Treatment letters were identical to control letters, except they also offered €40 (US $41.46) for getting vaccinated at one of the events. Main Outcome and Measure Primary and booster COVID-19 vaccination uptake was observed and recorded on site during the public vaccination events. Primary vaccinations were defined as either the first dose of a 1-dose vaccine or the first or second dose of a 2-doses vaccine. Boosters were defined as any dose after primary vaccination. Three types of commonly used treatment effects were analyzed: direct, spillover, and overall. Results Among 41 548 Ravensburg residents (mean [SD] age, 49.96 [19.04] years; 51.3% female), 796 (1.9%) were vaccinated at 1 of the 7 public vaccination events. The direct, spillover, and overall effects of receiving a financial incentive on primary vaccinations were all nonsignificant. For booster vaccinations, the direct effect was negative but not statistically significant (−0.32 percentage points [95% CI, −0.77 to 0.14 percentage points]; P = .17), whereas the overall effect (−0.30 percentage points [95% CI, −0.51 to −0.09 percentage points]; P = .006) was significantly negative. The spillover effect was significantly negative (−0.29 percentage points [95% CI, −0.53 to −0.06 percentage points]; P = .01), but only for the first vaccination events. Conclusions and Relevance This trial found null direct effects on COVID-19 vaccination uptake and negative effects on booster uptake among individuals who did not receive but were indirectly exposed to the financial incentives. The timing of this spillover suggests that cohabitants of financial incentive recipients postponed booster vaccination, thereby undermining the potential effectiveness of this policy. Trial Registration ISRCTN identifier: ISRCTN59503725
Article
Emotion regulation is integral to well-being and adaptive behavior. Differing regulation strategies have important downstream consequences. Evidence suggests that reappraisal use can improve memory and reduce emotional reactivity to previously regulated stimuli. Reappraisal is cognitively demanding and dependent on prefrontal-based cognitive control processes typically enhanced by motivation. We recently demonstrated that motivational incentives increased reappraisal use and decreased negative affect during emotion regulation. It is currently unknown how incentive manipulations of emotion regulation affect later memory and affective response: some accounts suggest that motivation boosts memory relatively automatically, via dopamine input to hippocampus, whereas others suggest that motivated memory might depend on control allocation at encoding. In a 2-day online study, we examined how motivated emotion regulation relates to downstream memory and affect. Participants completed an emotion regulation task under baseline and incentive conditions, with recognition memory and affect examined ~ 24-hours later. Surprisingly, for stimuli encountered under incentive, memory decreased, challenging the hypothesis that motivational enhancements of memory occur automatically. Additionally, Day 2 affect did not significantly differ for stimuli encountered in baseline and incentive contexts, suggesting that incentive-related affective benefits were short-lived. In contrast, reappraisal predicted increased memory and reduced negative affect upon reencounter. These results suggest that incentive may have promoted global, potentially automatic changes in affect, independent from regulatory control processes that also could lead to affective change. Further characterization of these multiple pathways will be important for advancing a mechanistic understanding of emotion regulation and its consequences across motivational contexts.
Article
Full-text available
This study explores the impact of personality traits on casino patrons’ perceptions of loyalty incentives, specifically Free Play and complimentary show tickets. Previous research has overlooked these psychographic factors behind patrons’ responses to these promotional offers, resulting in a gap in understanding their effectiveness. The study fills this gap by examining how individuals’ personality traits affect their preferences for different types of incentives. The results reveal that personality traits play a significant role in determining patrons’ perceptions of loyalty incentives. Individuals with stronger conscientiousness traits prefer Free Play, while those with more agreeableness traits favor complimentary show tickets. The findings highlight the need for casinos to consider psychographic factors alongside traditional behavioral and demographic metrics for managing loyalty programs. Understanding how patrons’ reflective traits influence responses to promotional offers can lead to more effective incentives and potentially reduce tax liabilities for specific stimuli, while helping casinos market their services better.
Article
Full-text available
Walking is both a sustainable transportation option and an easy physical activity. Despite the clear health, environmental and economic benefits, many people are reluctant to walk to their destinations because it can be tiring or time-consuming; therefore, incentives are often needed to encourage walking. This paper presents a novel application (InWalk) that can be used to promote walking as a sustainable transportation alternative, a healthy lifestyle and a way to boost economic activity in an area. The application suggests walking routes to users that are linked to financial rewards (discounts, etc.) offered by businesses along the way. Users are motivated to walk and even take a longer route to gain access to a promotional service or product upon completion of their route. A pilot implementation of the developed application in a Greek suburb shows that it has the potential to promote walking as an exercise and stimulate economic activity, but also that it needs to be tested more thoroughly to contribute to a sustainable transportation paradigm.
Article
Full-text available
The utilization of accolade awards to motivate reviewers is widespread, but their effectiveness remains uncertain. We aim to explore how receiving an accolade award affects reviewers’ subsequent number of reviews. In contrast to small-scale, unrepresentative experiments, we perform a large-scale, global, and all-disciplinary analysis based on quasi-natural experiments. By integrating the Publons, ORCID, MAG, SciSciNet, and OpenAlex databases, a large dataset that tracks the reviewers’ annual number of reviews and their bibliometric indicators is compiled, encompassing 179,794 individuals. Among them, 6605 individuals who receive the “Publons Global Peer Review Award” in 2018 are constituted as the experimental group. Those non-winners are then matched to form a control group. Using propensity score matching (PSM), 711 and 762 reviewers are matched as the experimental and control groups respectively. An analysis employing the difference-in-differences (DiD) method is conducted to examine the impact of an accolade award on reviewers’ subsequent number of reviews. It is found that, following the receipt of an accolade award, reviewers, on average, reviews about four fewer manuscripts, with the reduction exhibiting a V-shaped pattern. Additional analyses are conducted to examine how individual differences and socio-economic factors influence the awarding effects. Besides, we analyze the mechanisms underlying the awarding effect and propose strategies to motivate reviewers. In brief, the sharp decrease in marginal utility of accolades, the voluntary nature of peer review, and the unexpected properties of accolade awards are the potential mechanisms that generate the negative effect. The academic community should reassess the existing incentive strategies for reviewers.
Article
Full-text available
When faced with service failures, customers tend to ruminate, i.e., engage in repetitive negative thoughts about service failures and their causes/consequences. Some customers express these ruminative thoughts in online posts, making the internal cognitive process of rumination publicly visible to prospective customers who read the posts. This research proposes a novel conceptualization and operationalization of customer expressions of rumination as the repetitive use of words related to (a) service failure aspects and (b) service failure causes/consequences. Across two field studies, one survey, and two experiments, this research demonstrates that rumination expressions in online posts about service failures are linked to lower sales, weaker prospective customers’ purchase intention, and more “likes” of the post. Responses expressing empathetic apologies are more effective in handling rumination expressions about service failure aspects, whereas responses mentioning compensation are more effective in handling rumination expressions about service failure causes/consequences. We urge managers to recognize the visibility and harmfulness of rumination expressions in digital outlets and provide solutions to minimize their damage.
Article
Full-text available
Background HIV prevalence among female sex workers (FSW) is significantly higher than among women in the general population. Studies have shown that FSW engage in unprotected sex which provides higher compensation when they face emergency situations. We co-created a savings intervention – Jitegemee (rely on yourself) – with FSW to encourage them to save part of their earnings to withdraw in emergency situations in order to reduce risk. Methods We undertook a five-phase intervention development process between February 2021 and July 2023: 1) qualitative interviews with FSW to identify essential intervention features; 2) pilot trial to assess intervention feasibility; 3) literature review of studies on economic empowerment of FSW; 4) scoring of key components of Phases 1–3 on a scale of 1–5 (1 = definitely exclude, 5 = definitely include), for inclusion in the intervention package; 5) workshops with FSW and other key stakeholders to co-design the intervention. Results In phase 1, nearly all participants (99%) found the intervention acceptable to them and 95% believed it would be acceptable to other FSW. Participants suggested inclusion of financial literacy (75%), savings groups (38%) and goal-setting (24%). In the feasibility assessment, 41% saved, of whom 46% withdrew some savings. Condom use was higher among FSW who withdrew their savings compared to those who did not (χ² 7.52; p = 0.006). In Phase 3, we identified 14 intervention components. In phase 4, all suggested intervention components scored 4.5 on average. In phase 5, we held 3 workshops with FSW to co-design the intervention, which included instructions for how to save and make withdrawals, financial literacy training, and formation of savings groups. Conclusions A savings intervention for and by FSW was highly acceptable and feasible. Involving end-users in the design process is likely to result in greater economic security among FSW and lower engagement in higher risk transactional sex.
Article
Full-text available
Incentivising prosocial and pro-environmental behaviours is a sensitive endeavour. While behavioural change is urgently needed to mitigate the consequences of climate change, monetary interventions often have negative side effects. Such interventions are prone to motivation crowding, which can impede lasting positive behavioural change and stimulate negative temporal spillovers to other prosocial behaviours. In this study, we investigate whether implementing monetary interventions as part of policy mixes can mitigate these negative side effects. In an online experiment involving 3,782 participants, we test whether the use of nudges that make personal and social norms salient can counteract the motivation-crowding effect and explore the effects of such policy mixes on temporal spillovers. We find that policy mixes of norm-based nudges and monetary incentives are more effective at stimulating engagement in targeted prosocial behaviour than no intervention when controlling for sample characteristics. Analysing the temporal spillover effects of these interventions reveals that policy mixes can alleviate the tendency of monetary incentives to negatively affect subsequent prosocial behaviour. This indicates that norm-based nudges are suitable complements to monetary interventions, facilitating long-lasting positive effects.
Chapter
In this chapter, after presenting a subtler understanding of human nature by Han Fei, I will show how he designs institutions that are based on rewards and punishments to promote the strength of the state. Despite this, and despite his belittlement of commerce and his emphasis on the centrality of agriculture to the economy, which resonates with the French Physiocrats, there is a “laissez-faire” streak in his philosophy of economics. His understanding of law is different from rule by law, but is an amoral or “thin-moral” version of the rule of law. His account of shu, instead of being merely Machiavellian, offers a theory of governance that is often neglected in the Western political theories. His IR theory also foreshadows contemporary realism. Given its contemporary relevance, to consider its merits and demerits and to compare it with contemporary theories is not merely for scholarly interests, but also important to deepen the discourse of political theories.
Chapter
The publication of research articles faces several challenges, encompassing biased evaluations, inadequate reviewer acknowledgement, and difficulties in identifying suitable reviewers. The soaring expenses associated with article processing charges in open-access journals have intensified researchers’ concerns. To address these issues, researchers are contemplating compensating peer reviewers as a potential solution, which in turn will also expand the potential pool of reviewers. This approach holds promise in fostering motivation, efficiency, and overall review quality. However, critics raise concerns about financial incentives compromising review integrity, potentially leading to biased evaluations. Considering both sides of the coin, it won’t be wrong if high article processing charge journals consider implementing payment for peer review while carefully balancing the associated benefits and potential drawbacks. Such a measure holds the capacity to greatly improve the publishing ecosystem, fostering an exceptional and fair process for sharing research.
Article
Full-text available
Many social challenges stem from individuals' tendency to prefer immediately rewarding but suboptimal behaviors ("Give-Up" options) over more costly endeavors that yield much better outcomes in the long run ("Try" options). For example, many people forgo the long-term benefits of formal education, healthy diets, learning new technologies, and even finding true love. This paper examines various incentivization programs that combine external rewards and punishments to discourage such counterproductive behaviors, which often result in only temporary behavioral change. Our findings suggest that some interventions' limited impact may be due to their focus on only shifting behaviors from "Give-Up" (e.g., dropping out of college, avoiding the gym) to "Try" (e.g., attending college, exercising regularly), without promoting sufficient exploration of these "Try" options. Yet exploration of the long-term benefits of "Trying" may be crucial to increase the chances of long-term learning and commitment. Using a simplified abstraction of this dilemma, our results show a high tendency to choose "Give-Up" options prior to intervention. Examination of four different incentivization strategies suggests that only rewarding exploration of new "Try" options is a straightforward strategy to increase exploration and optimal choice. Punishing both the selection of "Give-Up" options and the choice to exploit suboptimal "Try" options produced similar results. Other common guidance strategies were less effective, as these strategies simply tended to replace one suboptimal behavior with another. Surprisingly, punishments seemed to be a relatively more successful incentive than rewards. We discuss how these insights can help guide policy aiming to improve long-term outcomes through incentivization.
Article
Full-text available
INTRODUCTION Financial incentives to stop smoking (FISS) programs have been implemented internationally to encourage people who smoke to quit smoking. However, such programs require that the financial reward structure and its resulting effects on smoking quit rates are considered. We analyzed a number of scenarios for FISS reward schedules for current smoking individuals in Ireland, with a view to identify the potential implications in terms of financial consequences and expected effects. METHODS Using national QuitManager services data 2021–2023, we defined smoking quit rates for smokers currently using the national Health Services Executive stop smoking services in Ireland. Smoking quit rates at 4, 12 and 52 weeks were defined, and additionally defined by sex, age and education level. Using scenarios assuming different FISS reward sizes, structures and targeted population sub-groups, we estimated the number of additional quitters, budget impact, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. RESULTS A FISS program, if implemented for a cohort of 3500 smokers can result in a budget impact ranging €250000 – €870000. The cost-effectiveness trade-off between different payment schedules and the expected effect size suggested that FISS are cost-effective even at a moderate effect size. A FISS program implemented to approximately 20000 smokers nationally would cost between €2.0 million and €4.8 million, subject to the chosen reward schedule. Across social groups, FISS is more cost-effective for females, individuals in the youngest age group, and individuals with a medium level of education. CONCLUSIONS This analysis highlights the importance of considering different FISS schedules and potential quit effects, when designing such programs. We highlight that FISS programs should be targeted at certain social groups to achieve highest long-term smoking cessation rates. We also identified important challenges that decision-makers face when designing the reward structure of FISS programs. The acceptability or otherwise of the FISS structures may differ among stakeholders and should be explored.
Article
Background COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among young adults in Australia is still poorly understood. Young adults aged 25–34 years have been identified as a population subgroup where COVID-19 vaccine-hesitant views are highly prevalent. Objective Exploring the attitudes, thoughts, feelings and social environments affecting the decision to have or not have the vaccine can provide vital transferrable lessons in future health campaigns. Methods A qualitative phenomenological study was conducted using semi-structured phone interviews between June 2021 and July 2021. Interview questions were adopted from the World Health Organization’s guidance document ‘Data for Action: Achieving High Uptake of COVID-19 Vaccines’. Participants aged 25–34 years (n = 26) were recruited via purposive and snowball sampling methods. Data were analysed thematically. Results Overall, participants presented themselves as highly vaccine literate, understanding their social contract with society. Many participants also did not display traditional vaccine-hesitant views. Six themes specifically regarding COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy were identified, namely (1) decision-making complexities, (2) perceived risk of COVID-19 infection, (3) media’s misrepresentation of COVID-19, (4) vaccine-related issues, (5) inconsistent government messaging and program execution, and (6) social benefits assessment. In addition, motivators to COVID-19 vaccine uptake were classified into three categories: (1) tangible benefits, (2) protecting others, and (3) mandates and incentives. Findings suggest the motivators for COVID-19 vaccine uptake in young adults depend on individual benefits, highlighting the importance of recognising and addressing personal concerns. Conclusion There is a need to re-examine and redefine the meaning of vaccine hesitancy in young Australian adults. We offer an understanding of prospective challenges with vaccine hesitancy and potential solutions to address them. These include carefully tailored approaches regarding ongoing vaccine safety concerns and the expected personal benefits following vaccination. Combining these factors can aid in developing new methods of public engagement in the next public health crisis.
ResearchGate has not been able to resolve any references for this publication.