Why Nudges Fail

This page summarizes the empirical limits of ‘nudge-first’ approaches and links to detailed analyses.

Summary

  • Real‑world nudge effects are typically small (~1–2%) across large sets of RCTs, far below published averages.
  • Defaults are configuration, not recurring behavior. They often change settings, not actions.
  • Organ donation opt‑out regimes do not reliably increase transplantation without complementary system investments.

See: Nudge Limitations and the Evidence Ledger entries

BS-0003

and

BS-0004

.