PhD defence Jelle Strikwerda: How communication can support pension decision making

On Wednesday 11 December, Jelle Strikwerda will defend his PhD dissertation ‘More than numbers: how communication can support pension decision making’. In this dissertation, Strikwerda provides evidence-based advice on how to improve communication regarding appropriate pension decision making.

Communication interventions

With increasing levels of choice around retirement, there is an increasing need for effective communication and decision support. Strikwerda employs insights from the medical domain and Fuzzy-Trace Theory (a theory about how people process information) to develop communication interventions (tools that enhance communication) for making choices regarding pension.

These communication interventions include a traditional pros and cons text, a Value Clarification Method (VCM) that helps individuals determine what is important to them, and testimonials. Strikwerda tested the effectiveness of these interventions in two field studies. The first study demonstrated that the VCM and testimonials had an activating effect, while the second study found no clear differences between the interventions.

Personal communication

Additionally, Strikwerda examined the perceptions of individuals regarding the organisations that provide pension information. He reveals that personal communication is essential for building trust. This study provides valuable insights for improving communication surrounding pension choices and can serve as inspiration for future research in this area.