Module PSYC41915: Behavioural Insights for Public Policy

Department: Psychology

PSYC41915: Behavioural Insights for Public Policy

Prerequisites

• None

Corequisites

• None

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None

Aims

• Acquire an understanding of how to apply psychological and behavioural science principles to public policy challenges such as improving health, environmental, and personal finance outcomes

Content

• Indicative content includes:
• This module examines the application of techniques and principles to promote behaviour change, including 'nudging'.
• Topics can vary from year to year but are likely to include applied studies on how to promote healthier food consumption, how to encourage people to engage in more environmentally-friendly behaviours and how to save more for retirement.

Learning Outcomes

• Detailed knowledge of a range of theories and methods applied to behaviour change.

• Ability to review critically and consolidate understanding of a coherent body of theories and empirical studies to generate behavioural insights for public policy questions.
• Ability to apply behavioural insights to a range of policy-relevant problems assessed summatively via a 2,000-word essay.

• Good written communication skills
• Good IT skills in word processing, data manipulation and data presentation
• Ability to work independently in scholarship and research within broad guidelines

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Students' acquisition of detailed knowledge will be facilitated by weekly seminars which will include work in small groups and student-led discussions
• Audio-visual materials and detailed reading lists will serve as learning aids for the weekly seminars
• These modes of teaching provide students with detailed knowledge of the key theories and the skills needed to evaluate different theoretical positions in light of current empirical evidence
• The use of group discussions / small group work will ensure that students are exposed to a range of different theoretical positions, and encouraged to understand their inter-relations
• Small group work during the seminars will also give students the opportunity to interpret and evaluate the significance of empirical work
• In addition, there will be one interactive workshop to provide students with opportunities to consolidate taught material
• Learning will be assessed via one summative assignment: a 2,000 word essay
• Students will receive guidance on the preparation of the essay during the weekly seminars.
• The essay will assess students' written communication skills and acquired knowledge of theoretical principles and empirical studies and their ability to organise and synthesise them coherently and critically in written form in response to a set question
• An assessment of the range, recency and appropriateness of sources will be included in the overall assessment of the essay

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Collective verbal feedback on in-class policy case studies discussed.

■ Students who do not attend monitored activities shown under Teaching Methods and Learning Hours, or who fail to complete the summative or formative assessment(s) specified above, may be subject to the Academic Progress procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University.