Understanding and reducing opposition to system-level policies

Governments must develop and implement effective policies to tackle the pressing societal challenges of our time, such as climate change and global pandemics. While some policies aim to influence individual behavior, for example, through informational campaigns or behavioral nudges, others focus on broader systemic changes, such as taxes or mandates. Although system-level policies can lead to more impactful, socially beneficial outcomes, policymakers often hesitate to implement them due to concerns about public resistance. This talk explores recent insights into the psychology of psychological reactance toward such policies, examining its causes, consequences, long-term stability, and strategies to mitigate it. The findings are discussed in the context of creating more effective, sustainable policies for addressing critical societal issues.