GC Nudge Unit

About Us

The Georgia College Nudge Unit is a student driven organization applying behavioral economic principles to solve problems for local businesses and organizations in Middle Georgia. In exchange for tailored, empirically supported solutions, student members gain the experience of exercising classroom knowledge in the real world.

 

Who We Help

Currently based in Milledgeville, the GC Nudge Unit is excited to collaborate with businesses and non-profit organizations throughout Middle Georgia. If your organization is looking to find solutions to issues related to the behavior or decisions of your employees, clients, or the public at large, we may be able to help.

Services

Personalized Nudge Design - How can we fix your problem?

A full diagnosis of your issues and a tailored solution based on behavioral economic principles and empirical research

Implementation and Impact Assessment - What was our impact?

We will walk your company through the implementation process of a behavioral economic nudge and perform a statistical assessment of its impact

Projects

Increasing GC Student Retention - Georgia College University Retention Committee 

Analyzed 5 years of student-level data to identify significant predictors of student retention from the first year to the second year. - Project Completed.

Student Learning Center Engagement and Success - Georgia College Learning Center

Examined student participation in Learning Center programs and resources. - Research in Progress.

First-Year Student Weekend Engagement - University Housing

Examined factors influencing weekend decisions of first-year students living in central campus residence halls. - Research in Progress.

Improving Absenteeism at the Maxwell Student Union - Sodexo Inc.

Provided a losable privilege of wearing a unique T-shirt during work on Fridays for all employees without tardies or absences in the previous two weeks. - Project Completed.

Lowering Recycling Contamination on the Georgia College Campus - Georgia College Office of Sustainability

Designed shadow boxes displaying real recycling materials and trash and placed them above recycling bins in academic buildings. Additionally, relocated outdoor trash bins away from academic building entrances to alter the choice architecture of recycling. - Project Completed.

Prospective Members

For Georgia College students looking to join our team, the GC Nudge Unit operates as a 1 hour course: PSYC 3940 - GC Nudge Unit or ECON 3940 - GC Nudge Unit.

To qualify for this course, all students must complete the following prerequisites for their major.

Psychology Majors - PSYC 2700 Statistics Applied to Behavior Science and PSYC 2800 Research Methods

Economics Majors - ECON 3600 Intermediate Microeconomics and MATH 1401 Statistics

In addition, students will be asked to submit an application demonstrating their knowledge and interest in behavioral economics. For more details, please reach out to the email address listed below.

Our Team

Diana Young - Faculty Advisor

            Associate Professor of Psychology

            diana.young@gcsu.edu

 

Chris Clark - Faculty Advisor

            Professor of Economics

            christopher.clark@gcsu.edu

 

Current GC Nudge Unit students:

Colin Adams

Brandon Pascali

Rachel Carr

Zachary Gooch

Samuel Herrin

Lauren Moskowitz

Matthew Mullis

 

Alumni of the GC Nudge Unit:

Hunter Giles (co-founder)

Noah MacDonald (co-founder)

Cam Watts (co-founder)

Anthony Pruner

Zack Moore

Emma Petrick

Kendyl Lewis (co-founder)

Leah Green

Tanner Tolleson

Will Horton

Caroline Lackey

Evan Baker

David Williams

Turner Gibson

Kaitlyn Black

Bishop Bryant

Rawley Smith

Hannah Swanner

Neely Thompson