As droughts worsen and water shortages hit communities worldwide, a new study in the journal Decision Analysis has uncovered a smarter way to get people to save water—without breaking the bank. Researchers found that raising awareness and using social influence can be more powerful than just offering cash incentives. The study, “Differential Game Theoretic Models for Designing Water Conservation Incentives,” shows how conservation groups can cut costs, maximize impact and make water-saving programs way more effective. … Using differential game theory (basically, a way to analyze how people make decisions over time), the researchers developed a model that helps organizations figure out who to incentivize, when and how.