Behaviour by Design

Why the Behaviour Stream is fundamental

Here’s a podcast from Degrees of Health where John talks about the Behaviour Stream and why it is important for understanding human behaviour, and why it sometimes goes awry!

And a podcast from Bangor University focused on prevention and behavioural science from their Intensive Learning Academy the “Academy for Health Equity Prevention and Wellbeing“.

Traditional Health Behaviour Change Methods

Most traditional approaches to changing health behaviours have focused on educating people and raising awareness. The assumption behind this is that more knowledge will naturally lead to better health decisions. However, this strategy has not been very successful. Research shows that just giving people information doesn’t usually lead to lasting behaviour change.

This is partly because human decision-making involves two systems: a fast, automatic one, and a slower, more deliberate one. Health interventions often target the slower, deliberate system by providing information and encouraging thoughtful decision-making, but they overlook the fast, automatic system. In reality, the automatic system plays a larger role in everyday health decisions than we often realize.

Complexity of Health and Behaviour 

In the past, behavioural research usually involved small groups or individuals, making it hard to apply those findings to larger populations. However, public health policies aim to change behaviour across entire societies, where many interconnected factors influence people’s decisions. This creates a gap between research and practical solutions for public health.

Unlike simple systems, society is a complex system where many factors interact and influence one another. This complexity makes it harder to predict or control behaviour at a large scale.

A New Approach: Combining Behavioural Science and Systems Thinking 

To tackle these challenges, we can combine behavioural science with systems thinking. Systems thinking helps us understand the interconnected factors that shape people’s behaviour, allowing us to find key areas for effective interventions. By considering the larger system in which behaviours happen, we can create more effective and long-lasting strategies for changing health behaviours.

This integrated approach acknowledges the complexity of human behaviour and the various societal influences on it, offering a more effective way to improve public health on a broad scale.

What is Behavioural Science? 

Behavioural science is the study of how people behave, both individually and in groups, within different environments. It draws from psychology, sociology, economics, anthropology, and neuroscience to understand what drives behaviour, such as thought processes, social interactions, cultural norms, and environmental factors. 

Initially, behavioural science focused on the idea that behaviour was a learned response to stimuli (stimulus → response). This is similar to how we think of habits developing through repeated actions in specific contexts. Another concept is intentional behaviour, where actions are taken to achieve a goal (actions → outcomes). Unlike automatic habits, intentional behaviours are more flexible and require conscious thought.

Dual-Process Theory 

Modern research in behavioural science distinguishes between two types of brain processes: automatic processes (like habits) and intentional processes (which involve conscious thought). This distinction is known as dual-process theory. This theory is supported by neuroscience research, which shows that different brain systems control different types of behaviour.

An important principle is that behaviour is influenced by many unconscious factors, like social norms, habits, and environmental cues. Often, these unconscious drivers override conscious intentions, leading to what’s called the “intention-action gap”—when people intend to act one way but end up doing something else.

Social Influence and Norms 

Social norms are a powerful example of how unconscious factors influence behaviour. People tend to make decisions based on what they see others doing, especially those they identify with. This has been studied extensively, showing how group behaviour influences individual choices.

The COM-B Model 

Another way to understand behaviour is through the COM-B model, which stands for Capability, Opportunity, and Motivation. These three factors together determine behaviour:

–  Capability : A person’s ability (both physical and mental) to perform a behaviour.

–  Opportunity : External factors that make a behaviour possible, like resources or social support.

–  Motivation : Internal drives and reasons for engaging in a behaviour, which can be automatic (emotional) or deliberate (goal-driven).

Combining Dual-Process Theory with the COM-B Model 

By combining dual-process theory with the COM-B model, we can better understand how to influence behaviour. For example, an effective health intervention could:

– Improve capability through education (targeting deliberate thought processes),

– Create opportunities by making healthy choices more accessible (targeting automatic behaviours),

– Boost motivation through persuasive messaging that appeals to both emotional and rational thinking.