Behavioral Economics in the Epidemiology of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Theory and Simulations.

We provide a game-theoretical epidemiological model for the COVID-19 pandemic that takes into account that: (1) asymptomatic individuals can be contagious, (2) contagion is behavior-dependent, (3) behavior is determined by a game that depends on beliefs and social interactions, (4) there can be systematic biases in the perceptions and beliefs about the pandemic. We incorporate lockdown decisions by the government into the model. The citizens' and government's beliefs can exhibit several biases that we discuss from the point of view of behavioral economics. We provide simulations to understand the effect of lockdown decisions and the possibility of "nudging" citizens in the right direction by improving the accuracy of their beliefs.

[Nudges and the pandemic: An analysis from economics and behavioural law. SESPAS Report 2022]. / Nudges y la pandemia: un análisis desde la economía y el derecho conductual. Informe SESPAS 2022.

Behavioural economics (a combination of economics and psychology) provides keys to understand decisions made by politicians and citizens along the COVID-19 pandemic through the so-called cognitive biases. These biases can be offset by implementing behavioural interventions named "nudges" in order to promote responsible behaviours in the "new normality". This paper analyses, from a behavioural economics perspective, past, present and future of behavioural aspects surrounding the pandemic. Besides, this paper proposes different ways to formalize nudges according to law, which needs the fulfilment of three minimum requirements, namely: transparency, non-arbitrariness and efficiency. Furthermore, it is also suggested that protocols and contingency plans are set up to face future pandemics, in which both soft (nudge-type) interventions and hard legal regulations play different roles but complementary ones. Nudges can be implemented in a fast and less coercive way, so they are particularly suitable for changing mild misbehaviour, reserving legal sanctions for the more serious ones.

Economía del comportamiento para mejorar estilos de vida y reducir factores de riesgo / Behavioral economics to improve lifestyle choices and to reduce risk factors

Una parte importante de la morbimortalidad se debe a hábitos de vida y factores de riesgo modificables. Una estrategia prometedora para promover el cambio de tales factores pasa por la aplicación de intervenciones de salud pública basadas en la economía del comportamiento, rama del conocimiento que combina principios psicológicos y económicos. Este artículo se centra en un tipo de intervención conocida como nudge (traducida habitualmente como «empujón» o «acicate»), que modifica la conducta sin restringir la capacidad de elección de las personas. Se analizan las diferentes propiedades que caracterizan a los nudges y diversos ámbitos en los que se han aplicado con éxito: vacunación, alimentación, actividad física, cesación tabáquica y prescripción de medicamentos. En conclusión, la economía del comportamiento y los nudges tienen un gran potencial para su aplicación en la esfera de la salud pública en España

A large part of morbimortality is caused by lifestyle habits and modifiable risk factors. A promising strategy to promote the change of such factors is the implementation of public health interventions based on behavioral economics, a discipline that combines psychological and economic principles. In the present article, we focus on a type of intervention known as "nudge" (that has been translated into Spanish as empujón or acicate), that changes behaviour without limiting the individual's choice. We analyze the properties that characterize nudges, and several areas in which they have been successfully implemented: vaccination, nutrition, physical activity, smoking cessation and drug prescription. We conclude that behavioural economics and nudges have great potential for their implementation in the public health sphere in Spain

[Behavioral economics to improve lifestyle choices and to reduce risk factors]. / Economía del comportamiento para mejorar estilos de vida y reducir factores de riesgo.

A large part of morbimortality is caused by lifestyle habits and modifiable risk factors. A promising strategy to promote the change of such factors is the implementation of public health interventions based on behavioral economics, a discipline that combines psychological and economic principles. In the present article, we focus on a type of intervention known as "nudge" (that has been translated into Spanish as empujón or acicate), that changes behaviour without limiting the individual's choice. We analyze the properties that characterize nudges, and several areas in which they have been successfully implemented: vaccination, nutrition, physical activity, smoking cessation and drug prescription. We conclude that behavioural economics and nudges have great potential for their implementation in the public health sphere in Spain.