Behaviour Centred Design: towards an applied science of behaviour change

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Public Health
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Behavior change is a critical area of focus for improving health and societal outcomes.
• Existing approaches to behavior change often lack a cohesive theoretical framework and systematic design process.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and describe the Behaviour Centred Design (BCD) approach for behavior change interventions.
• To outline the theoretical underpinnings and practical steps involved in the BCD program design process.

Main Methods:

• The BCD approach integrates a theory of change, a set of behavioral determinants, and a five-step program design process (Assess, Build, Create, Deliver, Evaluate).
• The theory of change posits that interventions must create a cascade of effects through environments and brains to influence behavior and achieve desired impacts.
• Behavior change is conceptualized as a reinforcement learning process, influenced by evolved motives, behavior settings, and three control mechanisms (automatic, motivated, executive).

Main Results:

• The BCD approach has demonstrated effectiveness in changing hygiene, nutrition, and exercise-related behaviors.
• BCD is versatile, applicable to product, service, and institutional design.
• The framework can integrate future advancements in behavior science.

Conclusions:

• Behaviour Centred Design provides a robust and adaptable foundation for an applied science of behavior change.
• Interventions designed with BCD should aim to create surprise, revalue behaviors, and disrupt performance in target settings.
• BCD offers a systematic methodology for developing effective behavior change programs across various domains.