Constructing nudges: Understanding the public policy phenomenon

Government administrations overseas and here in Australia are increasingly adopting the use of 'nudges' in public policy development. Nudges make use of cognitive biases and heuristics to encourage citizens to select choices that make them and society better off. Academics and commentators question the use of nudges, arguing they are ineffective and unethical. Despite its increasing popularity and somewhat controversial use, how and why policy makers are nudging in Australia has yet to be explored. Much of the debate on nudging can be seen to fit the positivist paradigm, exploring the problems nudges may be effective in solving, or the situations in which nudges may or may not be ethical. A constructivist approach to nudge will aid understanding of not just why and how policy makers nudge, but would uncover the underlying assumptions of policy makers in designing these polices, as well as the implications of its use for governing practices.