Does promoting one healthy behavior detract from others? Evidence from a field experiment

Trachtman, Hannah

doi:10.1257/app.20210788

Abstract

Impact evaluations of behavioral interventions typically focus on target outcomes. Might interventions induce negative spillovers on other behaviors? I run a large field experiment in which individuals receive combinations of messages and incentives promoting two healthy behaviors, meditation and meal logging. I find that the interventions reduce completion rates of the opposite behavior by 19–29%. I find that interventions with larger target effects do not necessarily generate larger negative spillovers, and demonstrate implications for cost-effectiveness analysis. I investigate the mechanisms behind the observed spillovers.

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Does promoting one healthy behavior detract from others? Evidence from a field experiment

Abstract

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