June 13, 2008
Who is behind your (ringtone) choices?
Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein in a new book, Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness, are interested in how "choice architects" influence the decisions we make in our daily lives and how the cumulative weight of those decisions impacts society. The Philidalphie Inquirer reports
It's a very interesting article, and ringtones are only used as one of many examples, but it's such a good read I've included here.
"Who is a "choice architect?" Anyone in government or the private sector who establishes the context in which we encounter decision-making moments. For example, while it's easy to customize the ringtone on your cell phone, many people don't bother, opting to simply use the default tone. Thus the person who created the default setting is a choice architect and was subtly influencing ringtone choice.
... The theory of Nudge is that consumers aren't perfect economic engines and that they will often make choices that aren't necessarily good for them - buying the cookie right next to the cash register in the cafeteria, for example. But Thaler and Sunstein argue that systems can be designed where people still have freedom of choice, but context nudges them into making better decisions. And these better individual choices can add up to better societal outcomes."
The Permanent Link to this page is: http://www.textually.org/ringtonia/archives/2008/06/020415.htm
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