There has been a “cognitive revolution” – a profound increase in understanding why humans behave the way we do.

The fact is that humans do not act for “net gain”, as economics might have us believe. Rather, we:

1. lack self-control;
2. take the simplest route and;
3. as a social animal – predominately act in order to impress (or avoid embarrassment).

These are the drivers of human behaviours. Holding these principles at the forefront of intervention development will deliver the greatest outcomes.

Whilst not always completely predictable, controlled testing can help to identify what works and inform ways to “nudge” – to borrow Thaler and Sunstein’s phrase – citizens towards better choices.

Esher House harnesses knowledge from proprietary research, behavioural science and controlled pilots, devises evidenced-based interventions and delivers world-leading outcomes for government initiatives.

In short, we substantially improve the return on investment for the public purse.

Interventions can seem closer to common sense that rocket science…whilst results are often surprising, debunking generations of conventional wisdom.

We can now suggest not only explanations, but actions concerning:

• Does empathy mobilise or inhibit clients from taking action?
• How do we eliminate such high burn-out and turnover in advisors and counsellors?
• Does “internal” or “instrumental”, “hedonic” or “eudemonic” motivation drive the most sustainable outcomes?
• Why does long term unemployment seem to be increasing in Western nations, even when overall unemployment rates decrease?
• How can we improve outcomes by 10-98% for weight control, anti-smoking, mammography, domestic violence, bullying and re-employment programs?
• How can we prevent people from quickly dropping out of interviews, college, apprenticeships or work?
• Who ‘fakes’ action more: men or women?
• Are older people more resilient than younger people?

We are committed to applying positive psychology, neuroscience and behavioural science to improve lives in a fiscally sustainable manner. Esher House functions as a bridge between academia, government and real people.

Our logo is Icarus in the style of the chrome bonnet (hood) ornament on the front of 1920s vehicles (the most famous being Rolls Royce’s “Spirit of Ecstasy”).

The logotype is Brandon Grotesque – designed by Hannes von Döhren. Influenced by the geometric-style sans serif faces that were popular during the 1920s and 30s, the fonts are based on geometric forms that have been optically corrected for better legibility.

This nod to the late 1920s references an era of optimism and open-minded, evidence-based political thinking, before the dominance of a pathological approach of government and psychology – focusing on our ills to correct issues, instead of focusing on our strengths, successes and purpose to drive progress.

The onset of the Great Depression also let the US Congress to commission the development of a measure of national wealth. Simon Kuznets, the creator of the resulting Gross Domestic Product himself stated that the “welfare of a nation can scarcely be inferred from a measurement of national income such as GDP.” Yet this measure is the over-riding driver of policy and economic strategy.

Esher House’s objective is to help replace bluff and bluster with knowledge and wisdom at the centre of policy formulation.