When a nudge becomes invisible: How behavioral interventions prompt metacognitive miscalibration

Nudges, subtle design changes in a choice environment, have become a popular approach to influencing consumer behavior. In the current research, we explore their potential unintended consequences. While nudges can be helpful tools, we show they can distort people’s perceptions of their own abilities. We present evidence from ten studies (N = 5,395) suggesting that consumers attribute the positive effects of nudges to themselves rather than to the nudge. Employing nudges like reminders, defaults, and decision aids, we find that consumers underestimate the extent to which their behaviors are influenced by external aids. This effect occurs because nudges create ambiguity, leading individuals to mistakenly attribute their improved outcomes to their own abilities rather than the nudge. Our findings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the impact of nudges, highlighting their potential to shape self-perception in unintended ways.