COM-B

A powerful framework for making big and small behaviour changes

Behaviour

Capability

Opportunity

Motivation

Psychological

Do they have the awareness, know-how and confidence to perform the behaviour?

Physical

Are there any physical restrictions preventing the behaviour from happening?

Capability

It must be possible for the individual to engage in the target behaviour.

Social

Do the attitudes and opinions of peers encourage or discourage the behaviour?

Physical

Are there tools and technologies that can help facilitate the behaviour?

Opportunity

Our environment must permit us to take part in the target behaviour.

Reflective

Can we help them plan to take part in the target behaviour? 

Automatic

Can we alter the decision-environment to make it feel more natural or obvious?

Motivation

We want the target behaviour to feel desirable or natural.

Introducing Behavioural Science

A 5 minute primer on decision-making

Your brain is made of two systems.

System one is fast, intuitive and effortless. 

For example, do you prefer dogs or cats?

Let's take another example.

Imagine you land on an alien planet and discover two new intelligent lifeforms. Which of the following do you think is called Kiki and which one is called Bouba?

A

B

99% of people across the world choose this...

Bouba

Kiki

With the person next to you, discuss why you think this is

Kiki > Teeth > Bite > Sharp > Kiki

What is 8,992 x 19.86?

Welcome to system two.

A bat and a ball cost £1.10

The bat costs one pound more than the ball.

How much does the ball cost?

Ball: 10p Bat £1.10 Total £1.20

Ball: 5p

Bat £1.05

Total £1.10

Decision making is rarely rational.

Wherever possible, we prefer to use system one.

An introduction to MINDSPACE

How to harness System 1 thinking

Messenger

We're influenced by who communicates

How to apply

Enhance the effect of a message by changing the individual or organisation conveying it. 

Example

People were more likely to sign up to the Army Reserve when send an email from a real and named officer. 

Insight

We are heavily influenced by the perceived authority and trust of the communicator, more than the content itself.

Incentives

We avoid loss before we seek reward

How to apply

Encourage positive behaviours today by moving the costs into the future. 

Example

Save More Tomorrow encourages people to commit to future pension increases, instead of increases today.

Insight

We disproportionately prefer rewards that come sooner and costs that are borne later.

Norms

We trust the choices of the group

How to apply

When people are engaging in the behaviour you want, make it visible to everyone.

Example

Telling people who have no paid their taxes on time that most people have paid increased payment rates.

Insight

We use other people's behaviour as a cue for what's acceptable and desirable.

Defaults

We are strongly influenced by pre-set options

How to apply

Change the default choice to encourage more positive behaviour.

Example

Framing alternative choices for disposing of cigarettes lead to a reduction in littering. 

Insight

We tend to 'go with the flow' of a pre-set option.

Salience

We take note of the unexpected

How to apply

Make the most important information or required action stand out so that it attracts attention. 

Example

Putting a handwritten message on envelopes increased the % of people paying their tax on time. 

Insight

Our attention is drawn to what is novel and seems relevant to us. 

Priming

Our senses trigger 'patterns of behaviour'

How to apply

Expose individuals to familiar sights, words or sensations that remind them of behaviour from other situations.

Example

People were more likely to wash their hands in a hospital when the smell of citrus was present. 

Insight

Our actions are influenced by cues that can trigger 'patterns of behaviour'.

Affect

We seek pleasure and avoid pain

How to apply

Associate your target behaviour with positive emotions or undesired behaviour with negative ones.

Example

Making disposing of waste part of a game decreased the amount of litter people left on the ground. 

Insight

Our emotional associations can powerfully shape our actions. 

Comittments

We tend to do what we say we'll do

How to apply

Encourage someone to commit to a goal and write it down, then to set a penalty for failing to achieve it. 

Example

Smokers who made a commitment to quit (and agreed to forfeit money if they failed) were more successful.

Insight

When we publicly commit to a goal, we are more likely to achieve it, especially if there is a risk of penalty for failure. 

Ego

We act in ways that reinforce our self-image

How to apply

Associate the target behaviour with the self-image the person desires in the future. 

Example

Showing people photos of the effects of skin damage reduced how much time they spent in the sun.

Insight

We act in ways that make us feel better about ourselves.

Behaviour Design Workshop

A toolbox for creating change

What is our desired outcome?

Which behaviours are necessary to achieve the outcome?

​Which behaviours are necessary?

• Write down the desired outcome
• Write down the top 3 people involved in the outcome

• Brainstorm the actions each person must take to achieve the desired outcome

• Circle the 3 most important behaviours

What do we know about the target behaviours?

​What do we know about  the target behaviour?

• Use the COM-B Explorer to build understanding
• Discuss the questions in each window
• Don't worry about ideas yet, just explore what is known

What could we change to encourage more of the target behaviour?

​What could we change?

• Individually, take 5 minutes to quickly jot down your ideas
• Use the COM-B Generator and try answering the questions
• Don't worry about MINDSPACE yet

​What could we change?

• Individually, take 10 minutes to quickly jot down your ideas
• Use the Mindspace Generator

What do we think the right intervention looks like?

​Get feedback from your team

• Review your ideas and select your strongest 3
• Share these with a partner and collect one positive and one negative for each
• Listen out for ways to make your ideas more effective

​Create your recommendation

• Review your feedback and select the 3 approaches you think will have the best impact
• Use the Intervention Canvas to capture your ideas

How might you improve the ideas?

• Take a moment to share your Intervention Canvas with your team
• Look for ways to combine ideas and agree a final direction as a team
• Use APEAS to strengthen the intervention

What needs to happen next to launch?

​What needs to happen to launch?

• Capture the 3 most important milestones for delivery
• Who is involved?
• What is the sequence?
• How will we measure?
• What happens next?

Any questions?