Nudge

A small change in the presentation, default, or framing of a choice that systematically influences decisions without removing options or significantly altering incentives. Introduced to behavioural economics by Thaler and Sunstein (2008) and grounded in Tversky and Kahneman's framing research, nudges have been adapted extensively in HCI — Caraban et al. (2019) catalogued 23 technology-mediated nudge patterns. In AI-mediated interaction, nudges can take the form of suggested phrasings, default coach prompts, or subtle framings that steer users toward particular interpretations or responses. HCI research on nudges for bias recognition shows that the direction of the nudge matters: inclusive nudges can scaffold supportive behaviour, while biased nudges can entrench stereotypes — though users may also actively resist overt steering.