THE STICK, THE CARROT, AND OTHER STRATEGIES: A Theoretical Analysis of Governmental Intervention |
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| Authors: | GEORGE I. BALCH |
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| Affiliation: | Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Illinois at Chicago Circle. His main areas of research are methodology and political psychology. He is currently writing two chapters for the forthcoming Handbook of Political Behavior;, to be edited by Samuel Long and published by Plenum Press, end of article mmm mmm 10.30 |
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| Abstract: | This article considers four strategies that a government agency might use to change the behavior of individuals: (1) informing target individuals of benefits; (2) facilitating the change for individuals; (3) requiring such change, with penalties for noncompliance; and (4) making the change more attractive. Two complementary theoretical perspectives—learning theory (Skinner) and utility theory (Schultze) —are used to analyze the strategies. Information and facilitation work best on "motivated" people. Regulation works best for strongly desired, discrete, detectable goals achievable in few ways; but it requires much monitoring and may promote undesired reactions. Incentives are the basis of the most reliable, efficient strategies, especially if the change is continuous, detectable, and achievable in many ways. |
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