Sendhil Mullainathan: Solving social problems with a nudge

The talk explores the 'last mile' problem, where technological solutions exist but fail to reach or be adopted by the end-users due to human behavior and mental models. Examples include oral rehydration therapy for diarrhea and insulin adherence in diabetes. The speaker emphasizes the need for innovation in human psychology and behavior to address these issues, suggesting a new social science approach to tackle the last mile effectively.

What is the 'last mile' problem as discussed in the context of oral rehydration therapy?

• A gap in the final implementation of solutions

• A lack of scientific research on the problem

• A technological failure in creating effective solutions

• An issue with the production of oral rehydration salts

Which of the following is an example of the 'last mile' problem in the U.S.?

• Lack of access to insulin

• High cost of diabetes medication

• Low adherence to insulin usage

• Insufficient production of insulin

What is the main challenge in persuading people to adopt new behaviors according to the speaker?

• Reducing the complexity of tasks

• Providing more data and information

• Changing intuitive mental models

• Increasing the cost of non-compliance

In the color-naming task, what does the speaker illustrate about human behavior?

• Intuitive responses can be misleading

• Intuition often aligns with reality

• People are always logical

• Mental models are always accurate

How did BMW effectively convey safety in their ad campaign?

• By comparing with other car brands

• By showing crash test results

• By offering discounts on safe cars

• By highlighting accident avoidance

What is a common misconception about fuel efficiency?

• Miles per gallon is the best measure

• Gallons per mile is more effective

• All cars have similar fuel efficiency

• Fuel efficiency doesn't impact the environment

What innovation helped increase adherence to insulin usage?

• A new type of insulin

• A more affordable insulin

• An insulin pen

• A digital reminder system

How did Positive Energy encourage energy efficiency?

• By providing free energy audits

• By offering financial incentives

• By sending comparison letters

• By installing smart meters

What does the speaker suggest is necessary to tackle the 'last mile' problem?

• More technological innovations

• A focus on human psychology

• Increased funding for research

• Better marketing strategies

What is the speaker's vision for the future of social science?

• To focus solely on technological solutions

• To ignore human behavior complexities

• To integrate scientific methods with psychology

• To reduce the importance of marketing