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Characteristics of
Effective Behavioural Change Programmes
Introduction
This learning gives us a powerful set of principles, which can be used to help design
more effective social change interventions. In particular, there is a much wider
appreciation now that while behaviour can be ‘rationale’ and the result of conscious
consideration, in practice many decisions flow from emotional engagement, social
influence and environmental prompts.
What we now know is that many of our choices and the decisions we make that
influence out behaviour are not the result of active decision-making, rather, as
discussed above and illustrated in the Value/ Cost Matrix Model, are unconscious
and automatic. These ‘decisions’ are influenced by our social and emotional contexts
and by factors such as timing, and our physiological state . The following set of 24
principles summarises much of what we currently know about influencing behaviour
drawn from fields of study that include but are not limited to management,
psychology, policy development, economics, design, sociology, biology and
communication studies
5. People can be taught critical thinking skills that can help them take
more control over their behaviour and resist media, social and
environmental influences on their behaviour.
6. People are often motivated to do the ‘right thing’ for the community as
well as themselves and their families. Interventions that appeal to peoples
sense of community togetherness and that the desired behaviour is a norm in
the community and one that is valued by others tend to be more successful.
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8. People can be ‘locked into’ patterns of behaviour and need practical help
to help them break or unfreeze current behaviour. Programmes that provide
practical support to change are easy to access and require small steps tend
to be more effective.
12. People’s perception of their own ability to change can either enhance or
detract from attempts to change. Develop services and support that will
build people’s confidence knowledge and skills.
13. People’s perception of their vulnerability to a risk and its severity is key to
understanding behaviour and developing effective interventions. Focus on
understanding people’s perceptions and how they view the risks associated
with the behaviour. Also focus interventions on people’s views and frame
risks in ways that they can understand and are meaningful to them.
15. People influence and are influenced by their physical, social and
economic environments. There is a limit to a person’s capacity to change if
the environment militates against the desired change. Deliver programmes
that tackle the underlying environmental, social and economic barriers to
change as well as personal factors.
16. People are loss averse. They will put more effort into retaining what they
have than acquiring new assets or benefits. Stress potential losses
associated with the behaviour as well as the positive gains that can be
accrued from change.
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17. People often use mental short cuts and trial-and-error approaches to
make decisions, rather than ‘rational’ decision making. An understanding
these short cuts or heuristics should be used to develop interventions and
develop new ‘scripts’ associated with the behaviour you are trying to
influence.
19. Many people are often more concerned with short-term gains and costs,
and tend to place less value on rewards or costs that might happen in the
future. Programmes should emphasise short-term as well as long-term
benefits and seek to reduce short-term costs.
20. People will usually change behaviour if they value what is being offered
or in the case of a negative penalty that the penalty has meaning and
real consequences for them. Offers and penalties need to be presented in a
way that people find meaningful and understandable.
21. Change is more likely, if the actions that have to be taken are easy
specific, simple and clear. Making the first step to change very easy also
helps engage people in the start of a change process. Keep interventions
specific and promote them in a way that the target audience views as relevant
and appealing.
23. Many people are bad at computation and risk assessment. Many of us do
not understand numbers, risk ratios or odds. Test the use the understanding
of numerical and risk based messages before using them. Convey risks and
factual numeric information in ways that the target audience can understand
and find compelling, for example the number of Olympic sized swimming
pools full of water that can be saved by fitting a low volume flush toilet.
24. Communications and media including social media can have a powerful
effect on people’s attitudes beliefs and consequently behaviour.
However this effect is not mainly concerned with information transmission.
The real impact of mass and social media on people is often less. Media can
build up impressions of relationships between issues, set the agenda for
public debate and create emotional responses as well as transmit information.
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1. Clear aims and measurable behavioural objectives should be set out in the
programme plan together with the target audience(s) and segments that will
be the focus of the intervention should be explicit.
2. Programmes should set out how funding and other resources will be applied
and over what time period. A clear expected return on investment case
should be set out to justify the level of planned investment.
4. The programme team should capture what evidence about effective practice
from reviews and case studies, observational data and target audience
psychographic data is being used to formulae insight and interventions.
5. The programme plan should set out a clear rationale for the programme and
why particular interventions have been selected. The programme plan should
also indicates the theoretical perspectives and models that have been used to
inform planning that is congruent with the form, focus and context of the
intervention.
7. The programme plan should set out how prototype interventions or pilots will
be tested and used to develop full-scale programmes.
8. The plan should sets out how the programme will be funded to the level
required to achieve impact and how it will be sustained over the
recommended time scale for delivery. Plans should also set out key
milestones, in developing and delivering the programme. These milestones
should cover process, impact and outcome milestones.
9. Programme plans should set out how coalitions, stakeholders, partners and
interest groups will be engaged over the lifetime of the intervention. The plan
should also sets out the mechanism for coordinated action between
international, national regional and local delivery, and how decision making,
governance and coordination of the programme will operate.
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10. Key barriers and enabling factors and other risks should be identified in the
programme plan together with what actions will be taken to address these
factors.
12. All programme plans should be recorded and published, the plan should be
based on a proven planning template such as TPP.
These characteristics can be used as a checklist to test the likely impact of social
marketing interventions and programmes, and as a checklist when developing a
social marketing plan.
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Does the plan set out how funding and other resources
will be applied and clear expected return on investment ? Yes No Unsure
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