Barack Obama wants all Americans to change their behavior, to make "better" choices about money, health and the use of energy. In his campaign, and now in his White House, he's relied on 29 behavioral scientists to formulate ways of "nudging" us all to accomplish his goals. We talk with one of those advisors and others about how the process works. Does it preserve or limit the opportunity to choose? Is it psychological trickery that smacks of Big Brother or a subtle new form of leadership in a complex and confusing world?
The Behavioral Science behind Obama’s Politics of Change
Credits
Guests:
- Michael Grunwald - Politico magazine - @MikeGrunwald
- Richard Thaler - Professor or Behavioral Science and Economics, University of Chicago
- Ronald Bailey - Science Correspondent, Reason magazine
- Noam Scheiber - New York Times - @noamscheiber