Tag: Social Science Issues

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Two white women and a man stand at the edge of a cliff. One of them points into the distancce while the other takes a photo with her phone

Measuring Public Information Campaigns

Dr Zuleyka Zevallos

Social norms are often used in public information campaigns by government, however, behavioural change is not always adequately measured. Social science can help marketers, decision-makers, and businesses to effectively use social norms to change behaviour. Below are two case studies on the environment and health.

  • Four diverse young workers sit around a table looking at documents and a laptop. Title reads: Measuring Public Information Campaigns
  • Four diverse people stand in a row looking at their phones, smiling, against an orange wall. Title reads: media campaigns
  • Two white women and a man stand at the edge of a cliff. One of them points into the distancce while the other takes a photo with her phone. Title reads: E.g. Environment
  • A diverse group of young women stand indoors in a tight circle, laughing
  • A group of Black women in hijab laugh while sitting in two rows. One of them fixes her friend's hijab
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Business
A group of five people run on a bridge against a stormy sky

Using Social Norms to Change Behaviour

Social Science Insights

Social norms are the unwritten rules of acceptable behaviour that we follow in daily life. Social norms motivate us to follow social expectations. Social science shows how norms can be used to positively change behaviour.

  • A diverse group of friends sit in a cinema eating popcorn, with shocked and amused expressions. Title reads: Using norms to change behaviour
  • A Latin man holds a piece of glass in his hand, which reflects his stern gaze. Title reads: what are social norms
  • A group of five people run on a bridge against a stormy sky. Title reads: Descriptive norms
  • A white woman holds her hand out as if saying, 'Stop'
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Business
Young Black woman scrolling on her phone

Designing Effective Forms and Webpages

Social Science Insights

Programs and services can improve the customer experience by simplifying registration processes, and making webpages easier to navigate.

  • Young Black woman scrolling on her phone. Title reads: Designing Effective Forms and Webpages
  • Diverse people line up at a registration desk. On the side, a Black woman's hands scroll on a phone. Title reads: improving customer experience.
  • A Black woman with curly blonde hair reads her mobile phone outdoors against a white wall. On the side, is the mock up of a website. Title reads: barriers to action
  • Asian people seated on public transport scroll and watch their phones. Title reads: evaluation and analysis
  • An Asian man wearing a face mask reads his phone on the street beside his motorbike. On the side a while person's hands hold a phone with a large tick on the screen. Title reads: Simplify forms
  • A white older man in a hat and jacket writes on his phone outdoors. Two young white women are smiling while looking at one of their phones, in a cafe. Title reads: enhance webpages
  • A transparent picture of a plant on a desk behind glasses and a notebook. Title reads: how social science helped
Continue reading “Designing Effective Forms and Webpages”
Business
Young male construction worker looks at his phone while holding a long pole. He wears a hardhat and hi-vis vest. A cement truck and mounds of dirt are in the background

Promoting Employment Services

Social Science Insights

Employment services often struggle to appeal to their intended clientele. Sending effective messages can increase sign-up. Messages should emphasise the ease, benefits, and comparative outcome of services.

  • A Latin American woman types on a keyboard
  • A group of white people wearing boiler helmets, hard hats, and goggles stand at a workbench
  • An older man's hand signs a paper
  • An older white man and a younger white woman wearing boiler suits smile at each other
  • Two Filipina women smile while holding a book and laptop
  • A South Asian man wearing a hi-vis vest and hard hat writes on a clipboard
  • An Aboriginal woman smiles while writing on her phone outdoors
  • Two Asian men look at a phone as they walk outdoors
  • An Asian man looks at his phone at a construction site
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Social Science in Action

Law of the Journey

Social Science Insights

Taking a look back at Ai Weiwei’s exhibition at the Biennale of Sydney, 2018. The work is called, ‘Law of the Journey, 2017.’ It tackles Ai Weiwei’s ongoing critique of European nations denying basic human rights to refugees.

Giantic black rubber figures on a raft lean forward
‘Empathy is not simply a matter of trying to imagine what others are going through, but having the will to muster enough courage to do something about it. In a way, empathy is predicated upon hope.’ Cornel West, The Moral Obligations of Living in a Democratic Society, in The Good Citizen, 1999. Art by Ai Weiwei.
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Social Policy
A silhouetted people walk down a hill, following one person in the lead

How to Encourage Community Change

Social Science Insights

How can you use social science to encourage communities to change collective behaviours? We cover how to identify a behaviour that needs to change, how to target the key audience, how to encourage change, and the best mode of communication to reach the intended community. The provided check list will help you communicate effectively with local communities.

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Business

How to Improve Record-Keeping

Social Science Insights

Organisations can improve their record-keeping by adopting a systematic approach, and using techniques developed through social science research. Discover tips for small businesses and not-for-profit organisations on how to document important decisions, understanding legal obligations, and keeping records safe.

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Business

Social Justice and Dignity at Work

Social Science Insights

Sociologist Philomena Essed shows how everyday interactions feed into structural racism, such as during workplace interactions. Essed demonstrates how workplaces can proactively create an environment of justice and dignity. She advocates that leaders must do proactive reflection to better understand how culture impacts workplace relationships and respect.

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Social Policy

Encouraging Referrals

Social Science Insights

This post provides tips for improving public health communications. I show examples from studies that encouraged doctors to comply with health guidelines. I discuss a case study of a health organisation that sought to increase patient referrals to a free treatment program.

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Social Policy
Two men stand on cracked land, one of them kneels touching the ground, the other stands looking to the distance

Emergency Disaster Support

Social Science Insights

How can you encourage your customers to take up free support services? We look at how to get employers and workers to complete a survey sent via SMS, and sign-up for emergency disaster relief.

Man wearing a hat stands in a middle of a barren field in New South Wales
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