Applying behaviour change in policy making in DCLG

Policy has tended to assume we are…

• Controlled

• Analytical

• Rule based

Rational

However we tend to be…

• Automatic

• Holistic

• Associative

Irrational

Developed a toolkit to help…

Applying behaviour change in policy making in CLG

• Intranet; internal network, advisory group

• 1 page guide; reference pack; library

• Step by step guide; workshops; case studies

Understand why ‘we act as we do’

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structure default to maximise benefit

challenge myths, publicise positives change behaviour around target

we go with the flow

we do as others do

EF

FO

RT

make desirable behaviour cheaper

make undesirable behaviour more costly

make desirable behaviour easier

make undesirable behaviour harder

raise conscious awareness

routine behaviour

MESSENGER

INCENTIVES

NORMS

DEFAULT

SALIENCE

PRIMING

AFFECT

COMMITMENT

EGO

tax breaks, subsidies, grants

taxations, fines

provision of info, labelling,kite marks, providing facilities

limit access, regulation

positive reinforcement, reminders

education, prompts, naming & shaming

public awareness campaigns, change champions, role models

keep it simple, make relevant (1 to1 or tailored advice), stimulation

careful choice of words and sights, decoy option,

smiley faces and colour to enhance message

public commitments, contracts, pledges, free gifts

mental shortcuts change response

we are drawn to new & relevant sub-conscious cuesaffect actions

emotions shape actions

we keep public promises

positive self-image

FIN

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CE

HA

BIT

NO

RM

SC

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ION

4.TOOLS TO DERIVE ACTIONS

small instant rewards, losses loomlarger than gains, live for today

incremental slow changeslowly, public recognition

• List key actors• Segment according to

willingness & ability to act• Use evidence to

understand motivations/attitudes/behaviours

1. DEFINE ACTOR TYPES

• List goals, by actor/segment• Understand your goals e.g.

are they one off/repeated? who benefits - for how long?

• Look to start, stop, prevent or modify

2. STATE BEHAVIOUR GOALS2. STATE BEHAVIOUR GOALS

3. IDENTIFY BARRIERS

• Determine barriers to achieving goals

• Identify both real & perceived barriers

• Use evidence to understand barriers P

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things you need to do to change behaviour

Behaviour Change Guide

explorecustomer insightsegmentation

explorecustomer insightsegmentation

legislationregulationincentives

legislationregulationincentives

encourage evaluatecollect evidence of impact

evaluateevaluatecollect evidence of impact

facilitate public debate & gain

approval

facilitate public debate & gain

approval

engageexemplifylead by examplechange gov

behaviour

exemplifylead by examplechange gov

behaviour

exemplifylead by examplechange gov

behaviour

enableinfrastructuredesignresources

enableinfrastructuredesignresources

communicators influence us

4 key steps to applying behaviour change…

Define actor types1

State behaviour goals2

Identify barriers3

Derive actions4

• Traditional levers still apply (legislation, regulation, taxation)

• 9 key influences on human behaviour

• Social psychology & behavioural economics

Understanding how we behave can improve effectiveness …

MINDSPACE

Messenger

• Affected by feelings e.g. DH

use children to convey risk of smoking to parents

• More likely to act on info if expert delivers it

• More likely to act if the messenger is like us

Influenced by who communicates with us…

Incentives

• Live for today at expense of tomorrow

• Fear losses more than gains e.g. DVLA threat to crush car more effective

than fine of same value

• Overweight small probabilities

Responses shaped by mental shortcuts…

Norms

• Be careful – undesirable norms

• If positive let people know – challenge myths e.g. drinkaware

campaign

• Relate to your audience

Do what those around us already do…

Default

• Should structure defaults to maximise benefit – but don’t restrict choice

• Many everyday things have a default option e.g. donors

We ‘go with the flow’…

% of adults registered as donors

Opt out

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

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Opt in

• Defaults often selected via natural ordering

Salience

• Look for reference points to base decisions

• Everyday bombarded by stimuli – filter information to cope e.g. recycling lids

Our attention is drawn to what is novel and relevant…

• Novel, simple, fun

Priming

• Constantly being primed – need to understand more

• Controversial

Acts influenced by sub-conscious cues…

• Words, sights, smells can alter behaviour e.g. exposing people to

words relating to the elderly such as wrinkles changed behaviour

Affect

• Should use with care e.g.

90s car crime advert

• Emotions are rapid & automatic

Emotions can shape our actions…

• Moods can influence our judgement

Commitment

• Reciprocity – I’ll commit if you do e.g. pledgebank

• Commitment devices used to overcome willpower weakness

Consistent with public promises…

• More effective if written and public

Ego

• Biased to believe we are better than average

• When things go well we attribute them to ourselves

Act in ways that make us feel better about ourselves…

• Think of ourselves as self- consistent e.g. to maintain positive self image

males donate more to attractive female fundraisers

The things you need to do to change behaviour…

Explore• Insight

Enable• Infrastructure• Facilities• Design• Resources

Encourage• Legislation• Regulation• Incentives• Information

Engage• Facilitate public

debate• Gain approval

Exemplify• Leading by example• Change Government’s

behaviour

Evaluate• Evidence-based

behaviour change

Is the action enough to break habit & kick

start change?

Derive Actions

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lic

y M

ak

ing

Fra

me

wo

rk S

tag

e:

Sc

op

e /

Un

de

rsta

nd

structure default to maximise benefit

challenge myths, publicise positives change behaviour around target

we go with the flow

we do as others do

EF

FO

RT

make desirable behaviour cheaper

make undesirable behaviour more costly

make desirable behaviour easier

make undesirable behaviour harder

raise conscious awareness

routine behaviour

MESSENGER

INCENTIVES

NORMS

DEFAULT

SALIENCE

PRIMING

AFFECT

COMMITMENT

EGO

tax breaks, subsidies, grants

taxations, fines

provision of info, labelling,kite marks, providing facilities

limit access, regulation

positive reinforcement, reminders

education, prompts, naming & shaming

public awareness campaigns, change champions, role models

keep it simple, make relevant (1 to1 or tailored advice), stimulation

careful choice of words and sights, decoy option,

smiley faces and colour to enhance message

public commitments, contracts, pledges, free gifts

mental shortcuts change response

we are drawn to new & relevant sub-conscious cuesaffect actions

emotions shape actions

we keep public promises

positive self-image

FIN

AN

CE

HA

BIT

NO

RM

SC

OG

NIT

ION

4.TOOLS TO DERIVE ACTIONS

small instant rewards, losses loom larger than gains, live for today

incremental slow changeslowly, public recognition

• List key actors• Segment according to willingness & ability to act• Use evidence to understand motivations/ attitudes/behaviours

1. DEFINE ACTOR TYPES

• List goals, by actor/segment• Understand your goals e.g. are they one off/repeated? who benefits - for how long?• Look to start, stop, prevent or modify

2. STATE BEHAVIOUR GOALS

3. IDENTIFY BARRIERS

• Determine barriers to achieving goals• Identify both real & perceived barriers • Use evidence to understand barriers P

oli

cy

Ma

kin

g F

ram

ew

ork

Sta

ge

: D

ev

elo

p O

pti

on

s /

Fin

ali

se

Po

lic

y

Po

lic

y M

ak

ing

Fra

me

wo

rk S

tag

e:

Imp

lem

en

t /

Ev

alu

ate

things you need to do to change behaviour

Behaviour Change Guide

explorecustomer insightsegmentation

legislation regulation incentives

encourage evaluate

collect evidence of impact

facilitate public debate & gain approval

engageexemplifylead by examplechange gov behaviour

enable infrastructure design resources

communicators influence us

However need to be aware of the limitations…

• Not clear how long effects last

• Changing behaviour can be seen as controversial

• Central government role?

Behaviour change can take a generation