A recent NBER working paper demonstrates the power of social norms in translating communication to action and provides a good example of how messages can be tailored to the intended audience. As summarized in “The Behavioralist as Tax Collector: Using Natural Field Experiments to Enhance Tax Compliance” the highest increase in tax payments for tardy payers was correlated with the use of specific norm-based messaging:
| Message | Type | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| 'Nine out of ten people pay their tax on time.' | Basic norm | +1.3% |
| 'Nine out of ten people in the U.K. pay their tax on time.' | Country norm | +2.1% |
| 'Nine out of ten people in the U.K. pay their tax on time. You are currently in the very small minority of people who have not paid us yet.' |
Minority norm | +5.1% |
| 'Paying tax means we all gain from vital public services like the National Health Service (NHS), roads, and schools.' |
Public good (gain) | +1.6% |
| 'Not paying tax means we all lose out on vital public services like the NHS, roads, and schools.' |
Public good (loss) | +1.6% |
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Categories: Communication
Tagged: Ways of Working