It is possible to change behavior with incentives.
The use of incentives changed people’s behavior. Almost 7 million people smoked in the UK in the last year. The reduction in seven years is remarkable. How was this accomplished?
Smoking used to be considered good for you, and the act was integrated into everyday society. It was the norm, and the laws made it easy to smoke. There was a time when you could smoke on planes. We have come a long way since then.
The moral incentive to stop smoking has been around for a long time. Smoking is bad for your health. Lung cancer is more likely to be contracted by a smoker than by non-smoker. Advertising campaigns using shock tactics to communicate how bad smoking is have done a great job of reinforcing its effects on health.
There is a financial incentive. Cigarettes are an expensive habit to give up because of the high government tax. 80% of cigarettes are tax.
designated areas to smoke You feel like a smoker. An outsider is different from everyone else. The convenience of smoking has been turned into an annoyance. Cigarettes are hidden out of sight in shops and supermarkets.
The number of smokers in the UK has been reduced by a combination of incentives. The change could only happen with government intervention. Policies to stop people from smoking have been important in driving behavioural change.