NITI Aayog Launches Behaviour Change Campaign

News: NITI Aayog has launched a behaviour change campaign called ‘Navigating the New Normal’.

Facts:

• The campaign has been launched in partnership with Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation(BMGF), Centre for Social and Behavioural Change (CSBC), Ashoka University and the Ministries of Health and Women and child development.
• Aim: To develop an appropriate COVID safe behavior in the country such as by making people adapt to wearing masks as a part of their daily routine.
• Features: The campaign has two parts:
  • Covid-safe behavioural norms: It is a web portal containing resources informed by behavioural science and the use of nudge and social norms theory, related to Covid-safe behavioural norms during the ongoing Unlock phase, and
  • Wearing of Masks: The second is a media campaign focused on the wearing of masks.

Additional Facts:

• Nudge and Social Norms Theory: The theory says that people rather than being forced can be encouraged and influenced to pursue or desist from certain actions through nudges(encouragement or intervention).
  • The Nudge theory got international spotlight when Richard Thaler bagged the Economics Nobel Prize in 2017 for his work on Behavioural economics.