Using Behavioural Change Methods to Encourage Czech HEIs' Students to (Successfully) Graduate and the Acceptance of Nudging
Abstract
The main barriers to educational attainment and successful graduation may be bridged by employing the principles of behavioural economics and its nudge theory. The aim of this study is to find out the general acceptance of 'high-touch' and 'low-touch' pro-graduation nudges among Czech HEIs' students.
To do so, a questionnaire study (N = 207) was conducted. High-touch nudges were far more acceptable than low-touch ones.
Information nudges enjoyed the highest acceptance. By contrast, 40% of low-touch nudges were considered somewhat unacceptable.
Students do not mostly accept reminders and defaults. The acceptance of peer group manipulations fluctuated around the borderline value.
It was also discovered that students differed in their evaluation of proposed nudging techniques and their acceptance according to their socio-economic and socio-demographic characteristics. Support was slightly stronger among men, part-time students, and economists.
Female, graduate, medical, health, and social study students up to 25 years of age were more strongly opposed to the interventions. Also, students having at least one parent with higher education showed slightly less acceptance of nudges.
The study's insights provide a deeper understanding of diverse needs regarding behavioural tools and enable derive of guidelines for the education policy implementation and development.