1. Just how much influence did Johnson's own nudge unit have? SAGE (March 4 & 12) pressed its own 'nudge unit,' on both occasions the answer was the same. SPI-B was split; non-committal on the behavioural impact of lockdown.
Edmunds was one of those against early lockdown:
Edmunds was one of those against early lockdown:
2. As SAGE holds secrecy so dear we don't yet know what advice it gave COBR on locking down - what we do know is in early March the head of Johnson's nudge unit, David Halpern, warned of an early lockdown causing "behavioural fatigue" while simultaneously promoting herd immunity.
3. @soniasodha today writes that the head of Johnson's nudge unit, David Halpern, is also 'reportedly on Sage.' With SPI-B split, did Halpern nudge Johnson into delaying lockdown (until March 23)? And what was the effect of delay on the number of deaths?
4. @RobDotHutton March 11: 'Instead of keeping people inside their homes, Boris Johnson’s government is trying to get inside their heads.'
Read @soniasodha's piece on nudge theory and the behavioural economists that Johnson surrounded himself with:
theguardian.com/commentisfree/…
Read @soniasodha's piece on nudge theory and the behavioural economists that Johnson surrounded himself with:
theguardian.com/commentisfree/…
