BRU Publications

Published Papers

Ó Ceallaigh, D., Martin, L., Timmons, S., Robertson, D., & Lunn, P. D. (2025). The response of low-income households to the cost-of-living crisis in Ireland. ESRI Research Series, No. 206. [ESRI Report] [Press Release]

Poluektova, O., Barjaková, M., & Lunn, P. D. (2025). Enhancing Consumer Satisfaction in Complex Choices Through a Sequential Elimination Approach. Journal of Consumer Affairs, 59(1), e70000. [Journal Article]

Martin, L., Delaney, L., & Doyle, O. (2023). The Distributive Effects of Administrative Burdens on Decision-Making. Journal of Behavioral Public Administration, 6. [Journal Article]

Papadopoulos, A., McGowan, F., Timmons, S., & Lunn, P. D. (2023). Switching activity in retail financial markets in Ireland. ESRI Research Series, No. 161. [ESRI Report] [Press Release]

Belton, C.A., Robertson, D.A., & Lunn, P. D. (2022). An Experimental Approach to Measuring Consumer Preferences for Water Charges. Utilities Policy, 76, 101375. [Journal Article][Press Release]

Julienne, H., Barjaková, M., Robertson, D. A., & Lunn, P. D. (2021). The effects of online disclosure about personalised pricing on consumers: Results from a lab experiment in Ireland and Chile. OECD publishing. [OECD Report] [Research Bulletin]

Timmons, S., Barjaková, M., McElvaney, T. J., & Lunn, P. (2020). Official advice improves mortgage-holders’ perception of switching: Experimental evidence. Behavioral Public Policy. [Journal Article (open access)] [Research Bulletin] [Press Release] [OSF]

Timmons, S., McElvaney, T. J. & Lunn, P. D. (2020). An experiment for regulatory policy on broadband speed advertising. Journal of Behavioral Economics for Policy, 3(2), 17-24. [Journal Article] [Working Paper] [OSF]

Carthy, P., Lunn, P. D., & Lyons, S. (2020). Demographic variation in active consumer behaviour: On-line search for retail broadband services. Heliyon, 6(7), e04478. [Journal Article] [Research Bulletin]

Belton, C., & Lunn, P. D. (2020). Smart choices? An experimental study of smart meters and time-of-use tariffs in Ireland. Energy Policy, 111243. [Journal Article] [Working Paper] [Research Bulletin] [Press Release] [OSF]

McGowan, F. P., & Lunn, P. D. (2019). Supporting decision-making in retirement planning: Do diagrams on Pension Benefit Statements help? Journal of Pension Economics & Finance, 1-21. [Journal Article] [Downloadable Version] [Research Bulletin]

Timmons, S., McGowan, F. P., & Lunn, P. D. (2019). Setting defaults for online banking transactions: Experimental evidence from personal loan repayment terms. Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, 23, 161-165. [Journal Article] [Downloadable Version] [Research Bulletin] [OSF]

McElvaney, T. J., Lunn, P. D., & McGowan, F. P. (2018). Do consumers understand PCP car finance? An experimental investigation. Journal of Consumer Policy, 41(3), 229-255. [Journal Article] [Downloadable Version] [Research Bulletin]

Lunn, P. D., & Lyons, S. (2018). Consumer switching intentions for telecoms services: evidence from Ireland. Heliyon, 4(5), e00618. [Journal Article (open access)] [Research Bulletin]

Lunn, P., McGowan, F. P., & Howard, N. (2018). Do some financial product features negatively affect consumer decisions? A review of evidence. ESRI Research Series, No. 78. [ESRI Report]

Lunn, P. D. & Bohacek, M. (2017). Price transparency in residential electricity: Experiments for regulatory policy. Journal of Behavioral Economics for Policy, 1(2), 31-37. [Journal Article (open access)] [Working Paper] [Research Bulletin]

Lunn, P., Bohacek, M., & Rybicki, A. (2016). An experimental investigation of personal loan choices. ESRI Res. [ESRI Report]

Lunn, P., Bohacek, M., Somerville, J., Ni Choisdealbha, A., & McGowan, F. (2016). Price Lab: An investigation of consumers’ capabilities with complex products. Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) Research Series. [ESRI Report]

Lunn, P. D., & Duffy, D. (2015). Perceptual noise and perceived inflation after the Euro currency changeover. Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, 7, 1-16. [Journal Article] [Downloadable Version]

Lunn, P. D. (2013). Telecommunications consumers: A behavioural economic analysis. Journal of Consumer Affairs, 47(1), 167-189. [Journal Article] [Downloadable Version] [Working Paper] [Research Bulletin]

Lunn, P. D. (2013). The role of decision-making biases in Ireland's banking crisis. Irish Political Studies, 28(4), 563-590. [Journal Article] [Downloadable Version]

Lunn, P. (2012). Can Policy Improve Our Financial Decision-Making? ESRI Renewal Series, No. 8. [ESRI Report]

Lunn, P., & Lyons, S. (2010). Behavioural economics and “vulnerable consumers”: a summary of evidence. ESRI. [ESRI Report]

Duffy, D., & Lunn, P. D. (2009). The misperception of inflation by Irish consumers. The Economic and Social Review, 40(2), 139. [Journal Article (open access)] [Working Paper]

Working Papers

Robertson, D. A., Poluektova, O., Lavin, C., Timmons, S., & Lunn, P. D. (2024). A behaviourally-informed app can encourage switching of financial products. ESRI Working Paper 782. [Working Paper]

McGowan, F., Papdopoulos, A., Lunn, P.D. (2023). Who switches and why? A diagnostic survey of retail financial services in Ireland. ESRI Working Paper 748. [Working Paper]

Lunn, P., Julienne, H., Belton, C. & Timmons, S. (2022). Understanding Solutions to Problem Debt: An Experimental Investigation. ESRI Working Paper 726. [Working Paper] 

Timmons, S., Robertson, D & P. Lunn (2022). Combining nudges and boosts to increase precautionary saving: A large-scale field experiment. ESRI Working Paper 722. [Working Paper] 

Belton, C. A., Robertson, D. A., & Lunn, P. D. (2020). An experimental study of attitudes to changing water charges in Scotland. ESRI Working Paper 654. [Working Paper]

McGowan, F. P., Lunn, P., & Robertson, D. A. (2019). Underestimation of money growth and pensions: Experimental investigations. ESRI Working Paper 611. [Working Paper]

McGowan, F. P., Lunn, P., & Robertson, D. A. (2018). The framing of options for retirement: Experimental tests for policy. ESRI Working Paper 604. [Working Paper]

McGowan, F. (2018). The roaming regulation and the case for applying behavioural industrial organisation to EU competition policy. ESRI Working Paper 598. [Working Paper]

Published Papers

Larkin, J., Foley, L., Timmons, S., Hickey, T., Clyne, B., Harrington, P., & Smith, S. M. (2025). How do people with multimorbidity prioritise healthcare when faced with tighter financial constraints? A national survey with a choice experiment component. BMC Primary Care, 26(57). [Journal Article]

Lunn, P. D., Timmons, S., & Robertson, D. A. (2025). Promoting a nationwide collective response: lessons from the Social Activity Measure during the COVID-19 pandemic. ESRI Research Series, No. 204. [Research Bulletin] [ESRI Report]

Murphy, R., Taaffe, C., Byrne, M., Delaney, L., Lunn, P. D., Robertson, D. A., Ryan, H., & Wood, A. (2024). Improving the management of hospital waiting lists by using nudges in letters: A randomised controlled trial. Social Science & Medicine, 361. [Journal Article]

Poluektova, O., Papadopoulos, A., Robertson, D. A., & Lunn, Peter D. (2024). Trust in Cervical Screening and Attributions of Blame for Interval Cancers Following a National Controversy. British Journal of Health Psychology, 29, 788–813. [Journal Article] [Research Bulletin]

Lunn, P., S. Timmons, D. Robertson, H. Julienne, C. Lavin, M. Barjaková, O. Poluektova, K. Mohr, Y. Andersson, F. McGowan and A. Papadopoulos (2024). Behavioural evidence to inform the COVID-19 pandemic response: Ireland's Social Activity Measure (SAM), Behavioural Public Policy, 8(4), 670-684. [Journal Article] 

Robertson, D. A., Timmons, S., & Lunn, P. D. (2024). Behavioural evidence on COVID-19 vaccine uptake. Public Health, 227, 49-53. [Journal Article]

Timmons, S., McGinnity, F., & Carroll, E. (2023). Ableism differs by disability, gender and social context: Evidence from vignette experiments. British Journal of Social Psychology, 63(2), 637-657. [Journal Article] [Research Bulletin]

Robertson, D. A., Andersson, Y., & Lunn, P. D. (2023). How consumer and provider responses to nutritional labelling interact: An online shopping experiment with implications for policy. Food Policy, 121, 102563. [Journal Article]

Ó Ceallaigh, D., Timmons, S., Robertson, D. A., & Lunn, P. D. (2023). Measures of problem gambling, gambling behaviours and perceptions of gambling in Ireland. ESRI Research Series, No. 169. [ESRI Report].

Ó Ceallaigh, D., Timmons, S., Robertson, D. A., & Lunn, P. D. (2023). Problem Gambling: A narrative review of important policy-relevant issues. ESRI Survey and Statistical Report Series, No. 119. [ESRI Report].

Poluektova, O., Robertson, D. A., Rafferty, A., Cunney, R., & Lunn, P.D (2023). A Scoping Review and Behavioural Analysis of Factors Underlying Overuse of Antimicrobials, JAC Antimicrobial Resistance, 5(3). [Journal Article].

Cucchiarini, V., Lunn, P.D., Robertson, D. A., & Viale, R. (2023). Using Social and Behavioural Science to Support COVID-19 Pandemic Response. In Handbook of Labor, Human Resources and Population Economics, pp.1-41. [Book Chapter]

Timmons, S., Carroll, E., & McGinnity, F. (2023). Experimental Tests of Public Support for Disability Policy. ESRI Research Series, No. 159. [ESRI Report] [Press Release]

Lunn, P.D. & Timmons, S., (2023). Public Misperceptions of COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness and Waning: Experimental Evidence from Ireland. Public Health, 214, 81-84. [Journal Article]

Julienne, H., C. Lavin, C. Belton, M. Barjaková, S. Timmons & P. Lunn (2022). Behavioral pre-testing of COVID Tracker, Ireland’s contact-tracing app. Journal of Behavioral Public Administration, (5)1, 1-17. [Journal Article]

Robertson, D., Mohr, K., Barjaková, M., & Lunn, P. (2022). Experimental pre-tests of public health communications on the COVID-19 vaccine: A null finding for medical endorsement, risk and altruism. Vaccine, (40)27, 3788-3796. [Journal Article] 

Gormley, L., Belton, C., Lunn, P., & Robertson, D. A. (2022). Interventions to Increase Physical Activity: A Review of Behavioural Mechanisms. Preventive Medicine Reports, 28, 101880. [Journal Article]

Timmons, S., Belton, C.A., Robertson, D. A., Barjaková, M., Lavin, C., Julienne, H. & Lunn P.D. (2022). Is it riskier to meet 100 people outdoors or 14 people indoors? Comparing public and expert perceptions of COVID-19 risk. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 29(1), 32–51. [Journal Article][Press Release] [Working Paper] [OSF]

Barjaková, M. & Lunn P. D. (2022). Behavioural Science and the COVID-19 Pandemic: How understanding human behaviour helps policy-makers in times of crisis. Sistemi Intelligenti, 2, 309-327. [Journal Article] [Journal Article (author version)]

Mallon P.W.G., Horgan M., McAloon C.G., Lunn P. D., Little J., Beck A., Bennett A., Shaver N., McConway A., O’Regan R., Whelan B., & Rapid Testing Expert Advisory Group, Ireland (2022). Development of a risk assessment profile tool to determine appropriate use of SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen detection tests for different activities and events in Ireland, since October 2021. Eurosurveillance, 27(3), [Journal Article]

Lunn, P. et al. (2022). Social Activity Measure (Waves 1-36). ESRI. [Reports]

Robertson, D. A., Mohr, K. S., Barjaková, M., & Lunn, P. D. (2021). A lack of perceived benefits and a gap in knowledge distinguish the vaccine hesitant from vaccine accepting during the COVID-19 pandemic. Psychological Medicine, 53(7), 3238-3241. [Journal Article] [Working Paper]

Barjaková, M., & Lunn, P. D. (2021). Perception, Behaviour and Communication in relation to Rapid Antigen Detection Tests – A Narrative Review of Evidence. Paper published by the Rapid Testing Expert Advisory Group to the Department of Health. [Paper Link]

Lunn, P. D. (2021). Coronavirus in Ireland: One behavioural scientist’s view. Mind & Society, 20, 229-233. [Journal Article]

Robertson, D. A., Lavin, C., & Lunn, P. D. (2020). Can visual cues to portion size reduce the number of portions consumed? Two randomized controlled trials. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 55(8), 746-757. [Journal Article] [Research Bulletin] [Press Release] [OSF]

Timmons, S., McGinnity, F., Belton, C. A., Barjaková, M., & Lunn, P. D. (2020). It depends on how you ask: measuring bias in population surveys of compliance with COVID-19 public health guidance. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 75, 387-389. [Journal Article] [Working Paper] [Research Bulletin] [OSF]

Timmons, S., Barjaková, M., Robertson, D. A., Belton, C. A., & Lunn, P. D. (2020). Public understanding and perceptions of the COVID-19 test-and-trace system. ESRI Survey and Statistical Report Series, No. 96. [ESRI Report] [Press Release]

Belton, C. A., Julienne, H., Timmons, S., Barjaková, M., Lavin, C., McGowan, F., & Lunn, P. D. (2020). Public expectations for lifting Covid-19 restrictions. ESRI Survey and Statistical Report Series, No. 88. [ESRI Report] [Press Release] 

Lunn, P. D., Timmons, S., Julienne, H., Belton, C. A., Barjaková, M., Lavin, C., & McGowan, F. (2020). Using decision aids to support self-isolation during the Covid-19 pandemic. Psychology & Health, 36(2), 195-213. [Journal Article] [Working Paper] [Press Release] [OSF]

Lunn, P. D., Timmons, S., Belton, C. A., Barjaková, M., Julienne, H., & Lavin, C. (2020). Motivating social distancing during the Covid-19 pandemic: An online experiment. Social Science & Medicine, 265, 113478. [Journal Article] [Working Paper] [Press Release] [OSF]

Lunn, P. D., Belton, C. A., Lavin, C., McGowan, F. P., Timmons, S., & Robertson, D. A. (2020). Using behavioural science to help fight the Coronavirus: A rapid, narrative review. Journal of Behavioural Public Administration, 3(1) 1-15. [Journal Article] [Journal Article (author version)] [Working Paper] [Press Release]

Robertson, D. A., & Lunn, P. D. (2020). The effect of spatial location of calorie information on choice, consumption and eye movements. Appetite, 144, 104446. [Journal Article] [Working Paper] [Research Bulletin]

Working Papers

Ó Ceallaigh, D., Timmons, S., Robertson, D., & Lunn, P. D. (2024). Childhood gambling experiences and adult problem gambling. ESRI Working Paper 780. [Working Paper]

Robertson, D. A., Andersson, Y., Lavin, C., & Lunn, P. D. (2023). Comparing expert and public perceptions of the obesity epidemic in 3 countries. ESRI Working Paper 768. [Working Paper]

Barjaková, M., & Lunn, P. D. (2021). Perception, behaviour and communication in relation to rapid antigen detection tests – a narrative review of evidence. Rapid Testing Expert Advisory Group. [Working Paper]

Published Papers

Martin, L., Shier, A. J., Andersson, Y., Timmons, S., Robertson, D., and Lunn, P. D. (2025). Perceptions of climate change and policy among farmers and the public in Ireland. ESRI Research Series, No. 207. [ESRI Report] [Press Release]

Martin, L., Timmons, S., & Lunn, P. D. (2024). Encouraging Cooperation in Climate Collective Action Problems. EPA Behavioural Insights Series, No. 3. [EPA Report][Research Bulletin]

Timmons, S., Papadopoulos, A., & Lunn, P. D. (2024). Survey instructions bias perceptions of environmental health risks. Journal of Risk Research, 1-19 [Journal Article] [Research Bulletin] [Working Paper]

Timmons, S., Papadopoulos, A., & Lunn, P. (2024). Public perceptions of electromagnetic fields and environmental health risks. ESRI Survey and Statistical Report Series, No. 126. [ESRI Report]

Barjaková, M., Belton, C. A., Purcell, K., & Lunn, P. D. (2024). Effective communication of time-of-use electricity tariffs: Plain and simple. Utilities Policy, 90, 101798. [Journal Article] [Working Paper] [OSF]

Timmons, S., Whelan, A., & Kelly, C. (2024). An experimental test of a greenwashing inoculation intervention in Ireland: Effects of ‘pre-bunking’ on identification, consumer trust and purchase intentions. Sustainable Production and Consumption, 47, 318–328. [Journal Article] [Working Paper] [Press Release] [Research Bulletin]

Timmons, S., Andersson, Y., Lee, M., & Lunn, P. D. (2024). What is preventing individual climate action? Impact awareness and perceived difficulties in changing transport and food behaviour. ESRI Research Series, No. 186. [ESRI Report] [Press Release] 

Timmons, S., Andersson, Y., & Lunn, P. D. (2024). Communicating climate change as a generational issue: experimental effects on youth worry, motivation and belief in collective action. Climate Policy, 24(10), 1–17. [Journal Article] [Working Paper] [Research Bulletin][Press Release]

Poluektova, O., Julienne, H., Robertson D.A., Braiden. A.K, Lunn, P.D. (2024). Primacy Effects in the Formation of Opinions on an Unfamiliar Environmental Topic: Experimental Evidence from Mineral Exploration and Mining. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 94, 102248. [Journal Article] [Research Bulletin]

Timmons, S., Andersson, Y., McGowan, F. P., & Lunn, P. D. (2024). Active travel infrastructure design and implementation: Insights from behavioral science. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, 15(3),e878. [Journal Article] [Research Bulletin]

Timmons, S., & Lunn, P. D. (2023). Behaviourally-informed household communications increase uptake of radon tests in a randomised controlled trial. Scientific Reports, 13, 20401. [Journal Article] [Working Paper]

McGowan, F. P., Denny, E., & Lunn, P. D. (2023). Looking beyond time preference: Testing potential causes of low willingness to pay for fuel economy improvements. Resource and Energy Economics, 75, 101404. [Journal Article] [Research Bulletin]

Timmons, S. and P. Lunn (2023). Using information provision and interactive risk maps to motivate testing for radon. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 89. [Journal Article] [Working Paper] [Research Bulletin] [Press Release] [OSF]

Andersson, Y., Timmons, S., & Lunn, P. D. (2022). Youth Knowledge and Perceptions of Climate Mitigation. ESRI Research Series, No. 153. [Press Release] [ESRI Report]

Timmons, S., & Lunn, P. D. (2022). Public understanding of climate change and support for mitigation. ESRI Research Series, No. 135. [ESRI Report] [Press Release]

Ní Choisdealbha, Á., & Lunn, P. D. (2020). Green and Simple: Disclosures on eco-labels interact with situational constraints in consumer choice. Journal of Consumer Policy, 43(4), 699-722. [Journal Article] [Working Paper] [Research Bulletin]

Ní Choisdealbha, Á., Timmons, S., & Lunn, P. D. (2020). Experimental evidence for the effects of emissions charges and efficiency information on consumer car choices. Journal of Cleaner Production, 254, 120140. [Journal Article] [Working Paper] [OSF]

Lunn, P., Lyons, S., & Murphy, M. (2020). Predicting farms' noncompliance with regulations on nitrate pollution. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 63(13), 2313-2333. [Journal Article] [Working Paper] [Research Bulletin]

Working Papers

Timmons, S., Shier, A. J., Poluektova, O. & Lunn, P. D. (2024). Fashion, Fast or Slow? Effects of binary and graded eco-labels on sustainable clothing purchases. ESRI Working Paper 792. [Working Paper]

Andersson, Y., Timmons, S., Lee, M., & Lunn, P. D. (2024). Going Green in Stages: Psychological processes behind intention formation and action for climate mitigation. ESRI Working Paper 785. [Working Paper]

Andersson, Y., McGowan, F., Timmons, S., & Lunn, P. D. (2023). Status Quo Bias impedes active travel policy by changing the process of opinion formation. ESRI Working Paper 755. [Working Paper]

Published Papers

Capraro, V., Lentsch, A., Acemoglu, D., Akgun, S., Akhmedova, A., Bilancini, E., Bonnefon, J-F., Brañas-Garza, P., Butera, L., Douglas, K. M., Everett, J. A. C., Gigerenzer, G., Greenhow, C., Hashimoto, D. A., Holt-Lunstad, J., Jetten, J., Johnson, S., Kunz, W. H., Longoni, C., Lunn, P. D., Natale, S., Paluch, S., Rahwan, I., Selwyn, N., Singh, V., Suri, S., Sutcliffe, J., Tomlinson, J., van der Linden, S., Van Lange, P. A. M., Wall, F., Van Bavel, J. J., & Viale, R. (2024) The impact of generative artificial intelligence on socioeconomic inequalities and policy making. PNAS Nexus, 3(6),191. [Journal Article] 

Lunn, P. (2023). Ten Years of Ireland’s Behavioural Research Unit. In Behavioral Public Policy in a Global Context: Practical Lessons from Outside the Nudge Unit, pp. 25-37. [Book Chapter]

Lunn, P. D. (2019) Nudger beware: Diagnosis precedes remedy. Journal of Behavioural Economics for Policy, 3(Special Issue), 23-26. [Journal Article]

Lunn, P., Bohacek, M., McGowan, F., & Ní Choisdealbha, A. (2019). The surplus identification task and limits to multi-attribute consumer choice. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 26(2), 312–338. [Journal Article] [Downloadable Version] [Working Paper]

Lunn, P. D., & Ní Choisdealbha, Á. (2018). The case for laboratory experiments in behavioural public policy. Behavioural Public Policy, 2(1), 22-40. [Journal Article]

Lunn, P., & Robertson, D. (2018). Using behavioural experiments to pre-test policy. ESRI Budget Perspectives 2019. [ESRI Report] [Press Release]

Lunn, P. D. (2015). Are consumer decision-making phenomena a fourth market failure? Journal of Consumer Policy, 38(3), 315-330. [Journal Article] [Downloadable Version] [Working Paper]

Lunn, P. D. (2014). Regulatory policy and behavioural economics. OECD publishing. [OECD Report]

Lunn, P. D. (2013). Researchers Imply, Policymakers Infer: the Relationship Between Evidence and Policy. Journal of the Statistical & Social Inquiry Society of Ireland, 42. [Journal Article]

Lunn, P. D. (2012). Behavioural economics and policymaking: Learning from the early adopters. The Economic and Social Review, 43(3), 423-449. [Journal Article] [Working Paper]

Working Papers

Lunn, P. D., & Somerville, J. J. (2015). Surplus identification with non-linear returns. ESRI Working Paper 522. [Working Paper]

Lunn, P., & Lunn, M. (2014). What can I get for it? The relationship between the choice equivalent, willingness to accept and willingness to pay. ESRI Working Paper 479. [Working Paper]