Status Quo, Critical Reflection, and the Road Ahead of Digital Nudging in Information Systems Research: A Discussion with Markus Weinmann and Alexey Voinov

Research on digital nudging has become increasingly popular in the information systems (IS) community. In this paper, we overview the current progress of, critically reflect on, and discuss further research on digital nudging in IS. To do so, we reviewed the literature and interviewed Markus Weinmann from Rotterdam School of Management at Erasmus University, one of the first scholars who introduced digital nudging to the IS community, and Alexey Voinov, Director of the Centre on Persuasive Systems for Wise Adaptive Living at University of Technology Sydney. We uncovered a gap between what we know about what constitutes digital nudging and how we can actually put consequent requirements into practice. In this context, the original nudging concept bears inherent challenges about, for example, the focus on individuals’ welfare, which, thus, also apply to digital nudging. Moreover, we need to better understand how nudging in digital choice environments differs from that in the offline world. To further distinguish itself from other fields that already tested various nudges in many different domains, digital nudging research in IS may benefit from a design science perspective in order to go beyond testing effectiveness and provide specific design principles for the different types of digital nudges

From Dark Patterns to Digital Sludging – Mapping the Ethical Debate on Controversial Persuasive System Design

Guiding individual decision-making in digital environments through persuasive system design (PSD) is a powerful tool. While some forms of PSD such as digital nudging are based on libertarian paternalism and mostly considered ethically acceptable, other forms have been criticized for violating user autonomy or disadvantaging users. Such “controversial PSD” has been labelled inconsistently in the literature, for example as dark patterns or (digital) sludging. Thus, Information Systems (IS) research currently lacks a common vocabulary and conceptual clarity which impedes realizing the potential of PSD in research and practice. To address this issue, we present first results of a systematic literature review on controversial PSD. By compiling an overview of prevalent concepts, this study identifies four focal points of the ethical debate on PSD (intentions, strategies, outcomes, process) and derives implications and a research agenda for IS research

Combined Digital Nudging to Leverage Public Transportation Use

The urgency of global climate change is becoming increasingly evident, but current mobility patterns in developed countries continue to cause severe environmental damage. Therefore, developed countries need to change their mobility patterns fundamentally, such as modal changes to public transportation instead of private car use. Digital nudging in IT-enabled mobility applications is a novel and promising way to influence modal changes to public transportation. In this study, we conduct an online experiment with 183 participants in which they are being nudged toward public transportation trip options. Our results show that combining two different digital nudges significantly affects the choice of public transportation options. By contrast, single nudges do not lead to significant changes in the choice of public transportation trips. With our findings, we contribute to the research stream of digital nudging and the transportation literature and provide insights for practice to address the adverse effects of current mobility patterns

Not So Digital After All? A Look at the Nature of Digital Nudging through the Prism of the Digital Object Concept

Digital nudging is an effective way to influence individuals’ behavior when they interact with digital computers. However, scholars only partially discussed how digital technology transforms nudging mechanisms in digital choice environments. Considering the recently proposed research agenda on digital objects, studying the ‘digital’ component of digital nudging can help to understand how the ‘digital’ transforms the phenomenon of nudging and creates new, digital-only methods of influencing individuals’ behavior. This paper investigates the current state of the literature on the context of digital nudging and discusses the role of digital objects in nudging with examples of how digital properties can transform the mechanisms of nudging

Rethinking Digital Nudging: A Taxonomical Approach to Defining and Identifying Characteristics of Digital Nudging Interventions

Digital nudging interventions have emerged as soft-paternalistic mechanisms for reducing heuristic limitations and biases in decision-making environments. Prior research has conceptualized digital nudging interventions as subtle modifications in the decision-making environment that nudge a decision maker towards better choices without limiting other alternatives. The approach has received criticism as researchers have achieved limited consensus on its definition, categorized diverse behavior-modulation methodologies as digital nudging, and raised multiple ethical concerns about it. Such ambiguity reduces fidelity while challenging synthesis, application, and replication. In this paper, we posit the need to broaden the definition of digital nudging interventions, reconcile the inconsistencies, and present a coherent frame. Based on a systematic review of the extant literature, we propose an extended definition that is coherent with the libertarian-paternalistic principle, clarifying the intent of digital nudging interventions, and delineating the nature of the digital artifacts involved. We further present a taxonomy with standard vernacular and label its complex underlying principles and the components that can guide practitioners and researchers

Promoting Energy-Conservation Behavior in a Smart Home App: Kano Analysis of User Satisfaction with Feedback Nudges

Smart home technologies and apps are on a rise. This allows to implement digital nudging elements to foster energy-conservation behavior and, thus, contribute to mitigating climate change. Digital nudging via feedback can be effective in improving energy-conservation behavior, as substantial prior research has shown. However, the investigation of users’ preferences concerning feedback nudges is missing. This lack of knowledge is crucial, as user satisfaction influences their continuous app usage, a precondition for achieving positive effects. To close this gap, we perform a structured literature review, categorize the feedback nudge features from extant research, and conduct an online survey. Based on survey data and the Kano model, we analyze the effect of feedback nudge features on user satisfaction. Our study complements the traditional focus on the effectiveness of these nudges with a perspective on user satisfaction. The combination of both perspectives suggests which feedback nudge features should be considered for implementation

Digital Nudging : eine probate Methode zur Förderung des Säule 3a-Sparens von Schweizer Millennials?

Um sich im Alter den gewünschten finanziellen Lebensstandard sichern zu können, wird die private Altersvorsorge (3. Säule der Schweizer Altersvorsorge) heute und in Zukunft eine bedeutende Rolle einnehmen. Als Ursache dafür gelten gemäss dem Bundesamt für Sozialversicherungen (2012, S. 1) die niedrige Geburtenrate, die steigende Lebenserwartung und das Erreichen des Rentenalters der Baby-Boom-Generation. Dadurch gerät die nach dem Umlageverfahren finanzierte staatliche Altersvorsorge unter Druck. Die Rentenreform 2020 verdeutlicht den dringenden Handlungsbedarf in dieser Hinsicht, damit das geltende Leistungsniveau der staatlichen und beruflichen Vorsorge auch für kommende Generationen erhalten bleibt. Infolge dieser erschwerten Umstände wird die vorherrschende Generation der Millennials im Gegensatz zu den Baby-Boomern in Zukunft mit einer anspruchsvollen Aufgabe konfrontiert sein. Frühzeitiges Sparen, beginnend in jungen Jahren, erscheint daher angesichts der veränderten Umstände sinnvoll. Ungeachtet der steuerlichen Vorteile und des vorhandenen Problembewusstseins ist die Bereitschaft zum freiwilligen Sparen für die private Vorsorge jedoch gering (Sigg et al. 2019, S. 10). Verhaltensökonomische Erkenntnisse helfen hierbei zu verstehen, warum Menschen trotz vorhandener Informationen nicht immer rational entscheiden. Es handelt sich dabei um verhaltenspsychologische Hürden, beispielsweise Gegenwartspräferenz, bei welchem die gegenwärtigen Bedürfnisse gegenüber zukünftigen bevorzugt werden (Bruttel et al., 2014, S. 785). Um diesbezüglich bestehende Hürden zu senken sowie jene Personen zu erreichen, welche das Thema private Vorsorge vernachlässigen, dient digitales Anstupsen, sogenanntes Digital Nudging, als Unterstützung (Sigg et al., 2019, S. 11). Im Kontext der Altersvorsorge kann Nudging dazu herangezogen werden, die junge Bevölkerungsgruppe auf freiwilliger Basis in die gewünschte Richtung zu lenken und zum frühen Sparen zu animieren. Basierend auf empirischen Erkenntnissen aus Nudging-Studien konzentrierte sich die vorliegende Arbeit auf digitale Nudges wie Standardeinstellungen, soziale Normen, Framing, Feedback und Erinnerungen. Ziel dieser Arbeit war es somit zu analysieren, inwiefern durch ausgearbeitete Lösungsansätze im Kontext von Digital Nudging die junge Bevölkerungsgruppe für das freiwillige Sparen sensibilisiert und das Sparen der privaten Vorsorge gefördert werden kann. III Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass Erinnerungshilfen als der sinnvollste Nudge verstanden werden. Die sozialen Normen wurden in der empirischen Untersuchung als am schwächsten empfunden. In der Literatur wird jedoch überwiegend davon ausgegangen, dass Millennials stark vom Verhalten ihrer Umgebung beeinflusst werden. Grundsätzlich ergab die empirische Untersuchung, dass im Zusammenhang mit dem Potenzial von digitalem Nudging alle aufgeführten Nudges von den befragten Schweizer Millennials als hilfreich eingestuft wurden. So sehen Expertinnen und Experten die jüngeren Generationen als Zielgruppe für digitale Stupser, um sie auf freiwilliger Basis in die gewünschte Richtung zu lenken und zum frühzeitigen Sparen zu bewegen. Vor diesem Hintergrund ist für Vorsorgedienstleister wichtig, die standardisierten angebotenen Lösungen durch innovative und individuelle Digital Nudges zu ergänzen, so dass Vorsorgelücken vermieden werden können

Digital Nudge Stacking and Backfiring: Understanding Sustainable E-Commerce Purchase Decisions

Background: The consumption of ‘fast fashion’, which is expedited by cost-effective e-commerce systems, represents one of the major factors contributing to the acceleration of climate change. An emerging approach to steer consumers in the direction of more sustainable purchase decisions is digital nudging. This paper explores digital nudging in the context of green fashion e-commerce by testing the effectiveness of two nudging strategies on the decision to choose green fashion products (GFP) over regular fashion items. Method: This study was conducted as a between-subject online experiment (n=320) with four conditions simulating an e-commerce scenario. The participants were presented with different products: one was ecologically friendly, and another was the regular option. Depending on their randomized group allocation, the participants experienced a default nudge, a social norm nudge, a combination of both strategies, or no nudge. In addition, we conducted 10 qualitative interviews to gain a deeper understanding of consumers’ decision process. Results: Our experiment failed to demonstrate statistically significant relationships between the various nudging strategies and GFP purchase decisions. However, additional explorative analyzes confirmed a backfire effect for the combination of nudging strategies. This reveals the previously overlooked influence of participants’ identification on the effectiveness of digital nudging strategies. In addition, qualitative interviews revealed individual factors that influence sustainable e-commerce purchase decisions. Conclusion: This study contributes to information systems research by explaining the differences in the effectiveness of different nudging strategies regarding high-involvement compared to low-involvement products. Moreover, it provides empirical evidence of a backfire effect resulting from a combination of digital nudging strategies (i.e., digital nudge stacking). Finally, the study underscores the leverage that individual factors have on both GFP purchase decision and the effectiveness of nudges

Implementing data-driven systems for work and health: The role of incentives in the use of physiolytics

Following the recent success of health wearable devices (smartwatches, activity trackers) for personal and leisure activities, organizations have started to build digital occupational health programs and data-driven health insurance around these systems. In this way, firms or health insurance companies seek to both support a new form of health promotion for their workforce/clients and to take advantage of large amounts of collected data for organizational purposes. Still, the success in the implementation of wearable health devices (also known as physiolytics) in organizational settings is entirely dependent on the individual motivation to adopt and use physiolytics over time (since organizations cannot establish a mandated use). Therefore, organizations often use incentives to encourage individuals to participate in such data-driven programs. Yet, little is known about these mechanisms that serve to align the interests of an organization with the interests of a group of individuals. This is an important challenge because these incentives may blunder the frontiers between what is voluntary and what is not. Against this background, this thesis aims, from a critical realist perspective, to build general knowledge regarding incentives in physiolytics-centered organizational programs. By doing so, individuals may be able to recognize challenges linked to participation in such programs; organizations may create sensible incentives; policymakers may identify new social issues that appear with this form of digitalization in organizations; and, finally, researchers may investigate new practical and social challenges regarding digitalization in organizations. In concrete terms, the first explorative phase of the thesis shows that feedback, gamification features and financial incentives are the most implemented incentives in physiolytics-centered organizational programs. There is also an overrepresentation of financial incentives for data-health plans, indicating that health insurance companies are building their strategy on external motivators. A second, more explanatory phase serves to further explore these types of incentives and specify recommendations by taking a higher perspective than normative views, so that it is possible to create more alternative managerial strategies or develop other policy perspectives. This part principally shows that the most influential incentives on user behavior are the ones that are transparent, that stimulate individual empowerment, and that propose defined benefits. In terms of contributions, this thesis allows individuals to evaluate how their autonomy and integrity is impacted by incentives in such data-driven programs. This thesis also outlines the necessity for organizations to invest time and resources to know their audience. Organizations additionally need to develop several strategies, by mixing incentives or gradually introducing them. Policymakers must ensure that regulations permit the clear consent of participants; guarantee a proportionality of incentives, and involve entities that can guide individuals through data-sharing. Finally, this thesis enables researchers to further investigate how organizations can develop appropriate and desirable environments regarding data-driven technology, so that individuals may enhance their decision-making processes and organizations may succeed in their implementation