Table 3 Dimensions distinguishing nudges, boosts, and legal instruments

Usual form

Stimuli implemented in decision situation

Acquisition of competencies

Regulations or prescriptions

Intervention target audience

Populations or individuals

Populations or individuals

Populations and groups

Implementing entity

Private, governmental or non-governmental organizations

Private, governmental or non-governmental organizations

Legislature (authorized body)

Costs of implementation

Low

Moderate to high

High

Individual level costs to follow

Low

Moderate to high

Moderate to high

Implementation time

Short

Moderate

High

Duration of action

Effective during intervention

Resulting competences may exist long after the intervention ends

Effective during intervention

Autonomy

There is a choice not to comply

There is a choice not to comply

Compliance is compulsory

Consequences of behavior inconsistent with policy-driven change

Legally none, potentially social or economical

Legally none, potentially social or economical

Sanction or lack of permission to do something

Transparency

Not necessarily transparent

Necessarily transparent

Necessarily transparent and publicly available