One of the most interesting takeaways from the Gilbert discussion video was how we can effectively change people’s behavior by showing that other people have changed their behavior. As stated by Gilbert, the general population does not necessarily change their behavior by hearing that a predictive model has shown x, y and z - partly because of distrust for science, and partly because they simply do not care. When you get other people to change, however, that is when you see results. One example from the video was recycling. When the government supplied recycling bins and people started using them, their neighbors and friends joined in and did it although they had no personal reason to do so per se. This reminds me of section discussions of how we can make data sensible for people and how we can help people better understand it. It also shows how nudging behavior from governments can start new chains of behavior.
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