奇速英语

A nudge is a gentle push. Sometimes it’s a physical push. A person might nudge a friend to make him move out of the way, or a parent might nudge a child to get her to say thank you for a gift. Sometimes a nudge is a mental (心理) push. A boss might nudge workers to work faster by reminding them that a deadline (最后期限) is coming up.

In design terms, nudges usually have two characteristics. First, they make one choice seem more attractive and useful than the others. Second, design nudges don’t say clearly what the best choice is. They just suggest it in an indirect way.

We can see many examples where nudges help people choose what’s good for them. Take students as an example. Nudges can encourage them to give up negative behaviors, such as eating junk food at lunch, and develop positive ones. Studies show that most people take the first three foods they see more often than other foods. Schools can use this information to nudge students to eat better by putting healthier food choices at the front of the line and unhealthy ones at the end. Giving food nicer names can also change student choices. “Cool summer salad” will probably be more popular than just “salad”.

However, not all design nudges are beneficial. For example, shops might shine a light on fruit, using this nudge to increase sales. But it benefits shops, not customers. A hotel that offers a free breakfast might choose to put low-cost but unhealthy food in a noticeable place and put higher-cost but healthier food in a far corner. This helps the hotel save money but is bad for guests.

Design nudges are all around us because they are effective. A growing number of people are now using nudges on themselves to help overcome problems and make better choices.