Using Behavioral Economics to Promote Positive Youth Development through Sport

Abstract

Many sport-based youth development (SBYD) programs assume that short-term changes in participant attitudes, knowledge, and intentions will lead to long-term behavior change. However, this does not automatically occur, leading to questions about the efficacy and longevity of outcomes from SBYD programs. This paper discusses innovative solutions from the field of behavioral economics, which SBYD programs could use to support and promote individual behavior change. Nine tools for behavior change are outlined within a MINDSPACE (Messenger, Incentives, Norms, Defaults, Salience, Priming, Affect, Commitment, and Ego) model, with a specific focus on how SBYD programs can use these tools to promote positive youth development.

Keywords:

• Behavior change
• nudge theory
• sport for development
• sport-based youth development
• youth sports