Nudge: Towards a Consensus View

Abstract

This article presents a particular viewpoint on how nudge should be understood. The concept of nudge has generated considerable
interest among academics and policymakers. However, ten years later, what is meant exactly by “nudge” is still a matter
of debate. In fact, there is a fundamental discrepancy between the (original) narrow definition of Thaler and Sunstein (nudge in
the narrow sense, NN) and the (later) broad definition of Sunstein (nudge in the broad sense, NB). These two definitions differ
regarding the instrumental use of rationality failures, and accordingly whether the provision or disclosure of information counts
as a nudge or not. From a pragmatic perspective, the paper argues for a position that consists of adopting the broad definition
of a nudge while acknowledging several types of nudges, which we provide in an integrative view. We suggest that future research
should assess the effectiveness of these different types of nudges separately.