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The only way is ethics

By August 23, 2024Behavioural Science, e-learning5 min read

The rise and rise of behavioural science

Humans using psychological insights to alter the behaviour of other humans is nothing new.

(The ancient Greeks and Romans, for example, were big believers in it.)
What is new is the breadth of its application. From the first ‘nudge unit’ in the UK, in 2010, to another 200 or so dotted around the globe within a decade. From the publication of Thaler and Sunstein’s Nudge in 2008, to bookshelf-filling amounts of nudgy books written over the next fifteen years. From a handful of companies using behavioural science, to hundreds and thousands.
And many more in the pipeline. As the BIT says, “including behavioural insights in company policy is something all business leaders should be striving towards.”

The importance of being ethical

But with great use comes great responsibility. Groups of academics or policy makers using behavioural science – who are bound by ethical review boards, tightly-knitted regulations and the scrutiny of the public – is one thing. Companies using behavioural science is a whole different thing.
In an unregulated industry, is it important that they too follow ethical frameworks and guidelines? We think so. We should all want to go about what we do at work in an ethical manner – in a way that treats people fairly, humanely, correctly. Using behavioural science ethics builds and earns trust and is simply the right thing to do.
Which is all very well in principle. But how do ethical principles work in, well, practice?

Different approaches, same goal

One way is to hire a reputable company – one with lots of behavioural science experience – to do your behavioural science for you. For example, on the BEHAVES team, we have PhDs and MScs in psychology and behavioural science. Our team is a member of the Global Association of Applied Behavioural Scientists (GAABS). We’re LPI and CPD accredited for our behavioural science-based learning products. We’re also aware of how ethical guidelines govern our work and, as corny as this may sound, we’re in the business of doing good in the world.
Another way is to be guided by an ethical framework. The FORGOOD checklist below is one that shines out – both for its pragmatic nature and that it’s been adapted for the private sector. That’s why we’ve included it in BEHAVES as our go-to framework for budding behavioural scientists.

"We’re also aware of how ethical guidelines govern our work and, as corny as this may sound, we’re in the business of doing good in the world."

FORGOOD framework

F

Fairness

Does the behavioural intervention treat its target audience fairly? Does it attempt to fairly manage conflicts of interest between target audiences, beneficiaries and other relevant stakeholders? 

O

Openness

Is the behavioural intervention disclosed or evident to the target audience?

R

Respect

Does the behavioural intervention respect the target audience’s autonomy, dignity, freedom of choice and privacy within the context of their relationship with the company? 

G

Goals

Does the behavioural intervention seek to improve outcomes for target audiences, beneficiaries and/or other relevant stakeholders of the company? 

O

Opinions

Does the behavioural intervention pass the ‘front page test’ of public opinion?

O

Options

How does the financial and non-financial cost/benefit assessment compare to other options? 

D

Delegation

Does the company have the regulatory right and ability to implement the behavioural intervention? 

Some ethical conundrums

Removing barriers to action sits at the heart of successful behaviour change initiatives. Reducing friction when it comes to, say, school kids eating more greens or encouraging recycling, seems like a good thing. But what about removing friction when it comes to one-click ordering? Or making pay-day loans at 2375% APR  more frictionless?
Under FORGOOD, you would consider ‘Opinions’ and the front page test. How would your behavioural change initiative look emblazoned across a tabloid? “Children gently encouraged to eat more greens” or “Company uses behavioural science to make things run a bit better and nudge up employee training” aren’t outrageous headlines to be embarrassed about. “Company uses scientists to push people into unpayable debt” is.
The author of Hooked, Nir Eyal, cites two questions creators should ask when building habit forming products. One: “Would I use the product myself?” Two: “Will the product help users materially improve their lives?”

So: is your behaviour change initiative one you’d be happy to be on the end of and would it improve your life? There will nearly always be fuzzy areas, but these areas become less fuzzy with ethics on your side. When it comes to rolling out any behaviour change programme, you’ll want to interrogate what you’re doing and why.

And whatever it is you are doing, make sure it is for good.
Learn & grow

Need some help navigating the FORGOOD framework?

We’d be happy to lend a hand – contact us for more.

Get in touch

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