Published as part of the Australian National University, National Security College Futures Series, 2020.
We know a lot about how and why people make decisions. Insights from behavioural economics and cognitive science are now often used to inform government policies in areas as diverse as taxation, social services and healthcare. We know that humans generally struggle to make good decisions under conditions of uncertainty and information overload. Decisions about risk, and possible future gains or losses are also often fraught. Increasingly, governments and businesses have become better at helping citizen decision-makers navigate complex information environments and use information in ways that positively informs their decision-making. It is also now widely recognised that the ‘choice architecture’ of different information ecosystems affects how people perceive information, and how they use it to inform their decision-making. For example, the way a website store is designed influences purchasing behaviour. People make choices in this setting based on default options, price presentation and often, pleasure.
Read the full article here:
https://futureshub.anu.edu.au/citizen-decision-making-in-a-contested-information-environment/