The Choice-Changing Effects of Post-Disclosure: Default Nudges Revisited

Abstract

This study explores whether the effectiveness of default nudges, which involve preselecting a preferred option, persists after disclosing the nudge to individuals. While numerous earlier studies have suggested disclosure did not diminish nudge efficacy, they have not explicitly situated the nudging agent’s identity and motivations within specific political and social contexts. In this survey experiment, which incorporated such information into the disclosure, 2,791 Japanese respondents were presented with hypothetical choices to test post-disclosure effects across four policy areas: healthy eating, organ donation, COVID-19 vaccination, and seasonal influenza vaccination. The study examined three types of disclosure: neutral, public, and private. The findings reveal that post-disclosure decreases the likelihood of individuals adhering to the default choice, with effectiveness influenced by demographic factors and the nature of the policy. Contextual and cultural factors may account for why disclosure meaningfully affects nudge effectiveness. Further research is needed to explore cultural differences in the impact of nudge disclosure.