This study demonstrates how status quo bias (SQB) acts as an obstacle to active travel policy. A pre-registered experiment was undertaken to measure the strength of SQB and to illuminate its likely causes. A large, nationally representative sample evaluated descriptions of a town layout designed...

The "obesogenic environment" contributes to the global obesity epidemic. However, many believe that obesity is caused solely by individual choice. This paper investigates how the public in Ireland, the UK, and USA perceive the causes, consequences and severity of obesity compared to an expert...

Exposure to radon gas is a leading cause of lung cancer. Testing homes for the gas is straightforward, yet most people do not undertake tests even when offered freely. We report a pre-registered randomised controlled trial of communications to encourage test uptake. Households (N = 3,500) in...

Failure to switch service provider is viewed as leaving money on the table. While psychological hassle and switching costs are often invoked to explain the observed inertia, there is little empirical research that directly measures barriers to switching in retail finance markets. This study uses...

The market of private health insurance is characterised by high level of consumer inertia. Low consumer activity is probably linked to product complexity, abundance of choice options and low consumer understanding. These factors may overwhelm consumers and reduce willingness to engage with the...

This study investigated levels of trust and attributions of blame in connection with a cervical screening programme following a controversy related to the programme's audit, incorporating an experimental test of the effectiveness of new information materials. We compared responses in Ireland...

A basic function of government is to manage environmental risks. This requires measurement of how the public perceive different risks, but it is hard to measure risk perceptions in a neutral, unbiased way. In a pre-registered experiment with a nationally representative sample (N = 800), we...

Problem gambling (PG) describes gambling behaviour that is disruptive or damaging to individuals, and includes behaviours (e.g., betting more than one can afford to lose) and experiences (e.g., feeling guilt and anxiety about gambling). This study set out to measure the prevalence of PG in...

Five hundred young people (aged 16 to 24 years) took part in a short, online study about the environment. The study focused on knowledge and beliefs about climate change mitigation. We recorded the climate-friendly behaviours young people in Ireland report engaging in, as well as their knowledge...

The present research investigates how consumers engage with the Irish financial retail market when choosing and switching financial products. Data were gathered from a nationally representative sample of 2,903 individuals who are involved in their household financial decisions. The study used...