Download 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)