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How does government persuade people to change their actions, peers will be asking.
Peers are to investigate the ways in which the government seeks to change public behaviour in key policy areas.
The Lords Science and Technology Committee will question civil servants about whether ministers' approach has been "evidence based" and effective.
Among areas set to be explored are public campaigns to reduce smoking and obesity and to encourage recycling.
Before gaining power, top Conservatives expressed interest in the "nudge" theory of affecting social change.
The approach, proposed by academics Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein, suggested that bad choices and laziness are a large part of what makes people human.
Instead of appealing to voters' self-interest, such as urging people to save money, turn down the heating or eat more healthily, they suggested politicians must help to make the "right" choices "easier".
This could mean automatically enrolling employees in savings schemes, with the option to opt out, or school canteens putting healthy food at the front of the counter to "nudge kids towards good diets".
The Lords committee, headed by Lord Krebs, will examine the social and ethical issues raised by government interventions in areas such as public health and environmental behaviour.
At the first session on Tuesday, peers will hear from David Halpern, currently head of the Behavioural Insight Team at the Cabinet Office and an adviser on the government's big society agenda.
It has been reported that David Cameron asked Mr Halpern to head up a "nudge unit" to look at how to use behavioural economics and market signals to persuade citizens to change their behaviour.
In a recent blog entry, Mr Halpern said he would be looking at "finding intelligent ways to encourage support and enable people to make better choices for themselves".
He was previously chief analyst in the No 10 Strategy Unit for six years under Tony Blair.
The committee, whose members include the scientist Lord Winston and former Lib Dem MP Lord Willis, will also question senior officials from the Department of Education.
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
How does government persuade people to change their actions, peers will be asking. Peers are to investigate the ways in which the government seeks to change public behaviour in key policy areas.
The Lords Science and Technology Committee will question civil servants about whether ministers' approach has been "evidence based" and effective.
Among areas set to be explored are public campaigns to reduce smoking and obesity and to encourage recycling.
Before gaining power, top Conservatives expressed interest in the "nudge" theory of affecting social change.
The approach, proposed by academics Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein, suggested that bad choices and laziness are a large part of what makes people human.
Instead of appealing to voters' self-interest, such as urging people to save money, turn down the heating or eat more healthily, they suggested politicians must help to make the "right" choices "easier".
This could mean automatically enrolling employees in savings schemes, with the option to opt out, or school canteens putting healthy food at the front of the counter to "nudge kids towards good diets".
The Lords committee, headed by Lord Krebs, will examine the social and ethical issues raised by government interventions in areas such as public health and environmental behaviour.
At the first session on Tuesday, peers will hear from David Halpern, currently head of the Behavioural Insight Team at the Cabinet Office and an adviser on the government's big society agenda.
It has been reported that David Cameron asked Mr Halpern to head up a "nudge unit" to look at how to use behavioural economics and market signals to persuade citizens to change their behaviour.
In a recent blog entry, Mr Halpern said he would be looking at "finding intelligent ways to encourage support and enable people to make better choices for themselves".
He was previously chief analyst in the No 10 Strategy Unit for six years under Tony Blair.
The committee, whose members include the scientist Lord Winston and former Lib Dem MP Lord Willis, will also question senior officials from the Department of Education.
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.