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- 26th Jun 2014
Building your policy house of brick or straw
Entry by David Halpern, CEO of BIT and the UK's National Adviser on What Works Do you remember the story of the three little pigs who each build a house? One builds a house of straw, another of sticks, and the other of brick. The first two build their houses…
- Blog
- 27th Jul 2014
House of Lords Science and Technology Select Committee - Behaviour Change
The Behavioural Insights Team welcomes the recent letter from the House of Lords Select Committee, following up its 2011 report on Behaviour Change. We would like to highlight Lord Selbourne’s opening statement on BIT:"The work of the Behavioural Insights Team (BIT) is to be commended. In particular, we are impressed…
- Blog
- 7th Aug 2014
Press release: new $1m partnership between the Behavioural Insights Team and Harvard
Press release: new $1m partnership between the Behavioural Insights Team and Harvard A new partnership has been established by the Behavioural Insights Team (BIT) in the UK and the Behavioural Insights Group (BIG) at the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. The partnership is supported by…
- Blog
- 3rd Sep 2014
The secret cost of laundry
Purchasing a laundry appliance, such as a washing machine, can be a complicated choice involving lots of different factors. However, consumers may be surprised to find out that the cost of using the appliance is not one of the factors often taken into account. Annual energy consumption, which relates to…
- Blog
- 5th Sep 2014
Empowering consumers in order to reduce mobile phone theft
On 3rd September the Home Secretary announced that we will be publishing a joint BIT/Home Office analysis intended to better inform consumers about mobile phone theft and security. The analysis uses Metropolitan Police Service data to show how offenders disproportionately target certain phones; how these patterns are sensitive to security…
- Blog
- 11th Sep 2014
An analysis of mobile phone theft
Last Sunday, The Behavioural Insights Team and the Home Office published the report "Reducing Mobile Phone Theft and Improving Security". The report provides detailed evidence of which mobile phones are most likely to be stolen, where they are likely to be taken, and who the most typical victims are likely…
- Blog
- 12th Sep 2014
Victoria, Australia, steps up to the Obesity challenge
(Update from David Halpern) A quick report from Victoria Australia, where we are working with VicHealth, before heading back to London tomorrow. The Australians have often led the world on public health measures, so it’s pretty cool to be working with them for the next 2 years, with a special…
- Blog
- 22nd Sep 2014
Adult educators comes together to celebrate launch of the Behavioural Research Centre for Adult Skills and Knowledge (ASK)
The Behavioural Research Centre for Adult Skills and Knowledge, or ASK for short, was officially opened on 17 September. The research centre is focused on using behavioural science to help tackle adult numeracy and literacy. Adults who lack literacy and numeracy skills tend to be less productive at work, earn…
- Blog
- 7th Oct 2014
Behavioural Exchange 2015 (BX2015)
On 2 and 3 September 2015, the Behavioural Insights Team will host the largest gathering of the world’s greatest behavioural scientists and policy practitioners.There will be space for some 500 delegates over two days, with sessions that combine the latest academic findings with real-world results from projects being undertaken by…
- Blog
- 13th Oct 2014
Lunch with Walter
Walter Mischel, author of one of the most famous psych experiments of all time – the ‘marshmallow test’ of self-control – and with a wonderful new book summarising his work, dropped into BIT for lunch on Friday.Walter’s work showed that the child who ate the treat, instead of waiting a…