Digital nudges: a systematic narrative review and taxonomy

The developing research area of digital nudges has garnered increasing attention over the past decade. However, with the acceleration of technological change, there is a need to identify how digital nudges are evolving with changing digital environments. For example, digital choice architectures can be personalised with algorithms, dark nudges, and real-time data. This paper presents a systematic narrative literature review on the evolution of digital nudges. The investigation for this review uncovered several themes, including subsets of digital nudges such as AI-powered nudges and dark nudges, as well as calls for ethics, transparency, and accountability when employing digital nudges. The findings provide a basis for a revised definition of digital nudges, a taxonomy wheel that clarifies relationships between digital nudge terminology, and valuable insights for practitioners to consider when designing and implementing digital nudges.