An envelope arrived with the words “check enclosed” on the cover, a sure sign of junk mail. Enclosed was a check for $10 accompanying a 2-page survey querying my impressions of several patient education materials/advertisements. Printed on the check was a request that the check not be cashed until the survey was done. I quickly recycled both the survey and the check.
I could have cashed the check without filling out the survey — $10 is nothing to sneeze at. But, I did not. Why pass on the free money? It did not seem right to take it without filling out the survey. It might seem that such behavior does not fit well with our understanding of economics and financial incentives.
The economics of this and many other issues falls into the burgeoning field of behavioral economics. A great book on the topic is Practically Irrational by Dan Ariely, a professor at Duke University. Behavioral economics explains many surprising behaviors, including my tendency to give blood regularly at the Red Cross. My time is quite valuable, and if the Red Cross were to start paying me $25 each time I gave blood, I would stop going. As long as they do not pay me, I am happy to donate. The underlying mental gymnastics probably involves 2 separate economies, one based on money for which the $25 does not cover my time, the other involving non-monetary gains for which I am gladly willing to give my time.
The field of behavioral economics is probably informative of the most central behavioral problem in the field of dermatology, the strong tendency of patients to not use their medications. What can we do about it? Simple reminders do not seem particularly helpful. Would patients use their medication if we paid them to do it? Perhaps but there may be stronger, more feasible and appropriate incentives to be mobilized if we understand what motivates people.
Perhaps by developing a better understanding of the principles of behavioral economics, we will achieve a better understanding of why patients are not using their medications and what we can do about it. Harnessing people’s desire to do good, to help their team or meet expectations may be an underutilized tool in our efforts to get patients well. n
Steven R. Feldman, MD, PhD
Chief Medical Editor
Dr. Feldman is with the Center for Dermatology Research and the Departments of Dermatology, Pathology and Public Health Sciences at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, NC.
An envelope arrived with the words “check enclosed” on the cover, a sure sign of junk mail. Enclosed was a check for $10 accompanying a 2-page survey querying my impressions of several patient education materials/advertisements. Printed on the check was a request that the check not be cashed until the survey was done. I quickly recycled both the survey and the check.
I could have cashed the check without filling out the survey — $10 is nothing to sneeze at. But, I did not. Why pass on the free money? It did not seem right to take it without filling out the survey. It might seem that such behavior does not fit well with our understanding of economics and financial incentives.
The economics of this and many other issues falls into the burgeoning field of behavioral economics. A great book on the topic is Practically Irrational by Dan Ariely, a professor at Duke University. Behavioral economics explains many surprising behaviors, including my tendency to give blood regularly at the Red Cross. My time is quite valuable, and if the Red Cross were to start paying me $25 each time I gave blood, I would stop going. As long as they do not pay me, I am happy to donate. The underlying mental gymnastics probably involves 2 separate economies, one based on money for which the $25 does not cover my time, the other involving non-monetary gains for which I am gladly willing to give my time.
The field of behavioral economics is probably informative of the most central behavioral problem in the field of dermatology, the strong tendency of patients to not use their medications. What can we do about it? Simple reminders do not seem particularly helpful. Would patients use their medication if we paid them to do it? Perhaps but there may be stronger, more feasible and appropriate incentives to be mobilized if we understand what motivates people.
Perhaps by developing a better understanding of the principles of behavioral economics, we will achieve a better understanding of why patients are not using their medications and what we can do about it. Harnessing people’s desire to do good, to help their team or meet expectations may be an underutilized tool in our efforts to get patients well. n
Steven R. Feldman, MD, PhD
Chief Medical Editor
Dr. Feldman is with the Center for Dermatology Research and the Departments of Dermatology, Pathology and Public Health Sciences at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, NC.
An envelope arrived with the words “check enclosed” on the cover, a sure sign of junk mail. Enclosed was a check for $10 accompanying a 2-page survey querying my impressions of several patient education materials/advertisements. Printed on the check was a request that the check not be cashed until the survey was done. I quickly recycled both the survey and the check.
I could have cashed the check without filling out the survey — $10 is nothing to sneeze at. But, I did not. Why pass on the free money? It did not seem right to take it without filling out the survey. It might seem that such behavior does not fit well with our understanding of economics and financial incentives.
The economics of this and many other issues falls into the burgeoning field of behavioral economics. A great book on the topic is Practically Irrational by Dan Ariely, a professor at Duke University. Behavioral economics explains many surprising behaviors, including my tendency to give blood regularly at the Red Cross. My time is quite valuable, and if the Red Cross were to start paying me $25 each time I gave blood, I would stop going. As long as they do not pay me, I am happy to donate. The underlying mental gymnastics probably involves 2 separate economies, one based on money for which the $25 does not cover my time, the other involving non-monetary gains for which I am gladly willing to give my time.
The field of behavioral economics is probably informative of the most central behavioral problem in the field of dermatology, the strong tendency of patients to not use their medications. What can we do about it? Simple reminders do not seem particularly helpful. Would patients use their medication if we paid them to do it? Perhaps but there may be stronger, more feasible and appropriate incentives to be mobilized if we understand what motivates people.
Perhaps by developing a better understanding of the principles of behavioral economics, we will achieve a better understanding of why patients are not using their medications and what we can do about it. Harnessing people’s desire to do good, to help their team or meet expectations may be an underutilized tool in our efforts to get patients well. n
Steven R. Feldman, MD, PhD
Chief Medical Editor
Dr. Feldman is with the Center for Dermatology Research and the Departments of Dermatology, Pathology and Public Health Sciences at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, NC.
