Boosts are not Educative or System-2 Nudges

Abstract Boosts seek to expand people’s competences with the purpose of improving their judgments and decisions. They have sometimes been identified with educative or system-2 nudges. This implies that boosts are slow and effortful, and therefore not as efficient or effective as other behavioral interventions. In this paper, I reject their identification with educative and system-2 nudges. In particular, I explain what it means that boost expand competences, argue that competences are distinct from either knowledge and skills and show that competences can be provided through processes different from those commonly considered educational. It follows from this that boosts need not be slower or more effortful than other behavioral interventions.