Behavior change and policy
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Transcript Behavior change and policy
Behavior change
and policy
Brofenbrenner’s Ecological Model
person
Microsystem
Mesosystem
Exosystem
Macrosystem
Brofenbrenner’s
Ecological
Model
Microsystem: direct interaction with the
person (family, classroom, work setting)
Mesosystem: interactions between two or
more settings containing the person (home
and work)
Exosystem: social settings influencing the
person significantly (public school system;
health care institutions; public welfare
system)
Macrosystem: laws, policies, values in the
culture.
What impacts change?
Habit:
automatic
cued by the environment
Habits are mentally efficient so can be
difficult to control
We are less likely to seek and assimilate
new information
Downstream or Upstream Approaches
Downstream – focuses on a change in the
individual
Upstream – focuses on changing the
environment
Downstream Approaches
Consider individual attitudes, motivations,
skills, and environmental situation.
Consider cognitive dissonance –
ambivalence toward change, and
dissonance between intentions and
behavior
Planned behavior theory
Behavior guided by salient or perceived
beliefs:
Behavioral beliefs: beliefs about the likely
consequences of behavior and how important
those consequences are
Normative beliefs: beliefs about what others
expect and importance of those expectations
Control beliefs: beliefs about what will help or
hurt performance of the behavior and the
importance of these factors
Consider two dimensions for
outcomes…
Positive vs. Negative – which is more salient
for the person? Reducing the negative
consequences of a behavior or increasing
the positive consequences?
How might you determine this?
Another dimension…
Instrumental outcomes vs. emotional
outcomes : what are the material costs and
benefits (instrumental) and what are the
emotional costs and benefits?
If conflicting – emotional may be stronger
From intention to action
Failure to get started – forget, miss
opportune moments, initial
reluctance/discomfort
Getting derailed – distractions, cravings,
stress
If-then plans
Specifies where, when and how the
behavior change will happen
Helps because it prepares the person for the
change (perceptually ready)
Rehearses the change (new habit!)
Upstream Approaches
Change the environment to support the
desired change in behavior!
Strategies
Operant Conditioning: reinforce desired
behavior; aversive consequences for
negative behavior
Infrastructure changes
Education – public information
Legislation
Translating research into policy
Evidence based behavioral change
Need both downstream and upstream
strategies
Don’t over-rely on survey and focus group
data
Take an interdisciplinary approach
Change is possible…
Specify target for change
Identify behavioral, normative, control beliefs
Identify positive/negative and
instrumental/emotional components
Recognize change can occur
Have specific strategies for change
Consider change in the person and in the
environment (downstream + upstream)