Introduction to Behavioral Science in Public Policy

The World Bank Institute for Economic Development is pleased to present this virtual course to equip participants with an introduction into how behavioral science impacts policy design, enhancing outcomes in various sectors including education, healthcare, social norms, gender equality, tax compliance, climate change and more.  Discover the World Bank's unique approach and methodologies, developed through our collaboration with 70 partners and supporting governments across more than 100 countries. A prerequisite to access our full Behavioral courses catalogue, participants will gain valuable insights into how people think—automatically, socially, and through mental models—and how these cognitive biases influence actions and decisions, ultimately shaping the effectiveness of policies and programs. 

  • Duration

    6 hours

  • Video

    8 videos

  • Training typology

    e-learning

  • Community

    Multiple forums
Enrollment to the course is now closed. 
For the trainees enrolled, the content is available from 17 February until 8 April 2025.

Make sure to finalize the course and earn your certificate by April 8!
Write your awesome label here.

What's included?

  • Videos
  • Text materials
  • Assessments
  • Interactive games
  • Forum discussion
  • Certification

Learning Objectives

  • Gain an introductory understanding of behavioral science principles and how they apply to international development and the design of more impactful policies and programs across various sectors. 
  • Understand automatic thinking, social thinking, and thinking with mental models; identify how these processes manifest in people’s decisions and actions and how they impact program and policy design. 

Who we are looking for

Policy practitioners and researchers eager to apply behavioral science for public policy on development topics.

Course lessons

Meet our core team

Renos Vakis
Head of the Mind, Behavior, and Development Unit (eMBeD)
Jonathan Karver
Economist with the Mind, Behavior and Development Unit (eMBeD) within Development Impact (DIME)
Dana Qarout 
Behavioral Scientist with the Mind, Behavior & Development Unit (eMBeD)

Our partners