Rat race: An Application of Nudge Theory

Abstract

The study looks at the problem of Rat Race through an example of social media, how alarming it is for young adults and how it affects an economy. It examines how this Rat Race of social media for likes, comments and followers are built in our minds and without realizing we use social media way too much than it is required, leading to supply-side shock. Hence, there is a need to intervene and suggest some measures to change the behaviors of the people. The study examines whether Nudge theory can help to overcome this problem or not by conducting pre- and post-experiment questionnaire on 88 candidates by exposing the participants to various offline activities like sports, field trips, volunteering. Their social media behavior and psychological responses were recorded before and after the intervention. Results indicate that carefully designed nudges can reduce screen time, improve mental health and potentially enhance productivity among youth.