Leading targets to comply. Uncertainty issues in the design of “intrinsic motivation-driven policies”

From the policy designer’s perspective, one of the main sources of uncertainty concerns how policy recipients will respond to the policy initiative. A high level of compliance on the part of the target population is essential for achieving policy goals. The aim of this paper is to discuss why it is so difficult to anticipate the effects of a specific policy mix, and what factors and dynamics should be taken into account when designing policies to induce recipients to change their behavior and habits. To this end, the category of “intrinsic motivation-driven policies” is proposed, defined here as those policies that require a change in individual behavior based primarily on intrinsic motivation. The article provides four examples of intrinsic motivation-driven policies to illustrate the dilemmas policymakers must deal with. Examples include measures to reduce tobacco consumption, promote the use of bicycle helmets, increase vaccinations, and encourage blood donations. The examples reported underline the importance of taking the context seriously and resisting the temptation of one-size-fits-all solutions. They also suggest the importance of a thorough knowledge of the target population.