A better understanding of the behavioural constraints that people face will help policy makers to more effectively target public policy interventions that aim to change their actions

Abstract

Government interventions often have very different outcomes to those desired by policy makers. Joan Costa Font argues that the development of behavioural economics offers a means to more thoroughly examine the behavioural constraints faced by those who are targeted by specific policies. Behavioural economics is not only better equipped to account for failures but if applied to public policy, it could also give rise to more effective public sector intervention