Why people behave as they do and the digital interventions we can use to make a difference

Why people behave as they do and the digital interventions we can use to make a

difference

Drinkaware: Can technology really change behaviour November 2013

Dr Tim HarriesSenior Research Fellow

Behaviour and Practice Research Group

Research group in Kingston Business School

Interdisciplinary insights into behaviour/change

Interventions; often using digital technologies

• energy consuming behaviours• healthy lifestyles• self-management of chronic health conditions

CHARM - RCUK Digital Economies Programme

1. Home Energy Study3% reduction in electricity consumption


1. Home Energy Study2. bActive study

64% increase in walking


1. Home Energy Study2. bActive study3. iGreen (FaceBook)


1. Home Energy Study2. bActive study3. iGreen (FaceBook)

Transforming Feedback(electricity)EPSRC Digital Economy Network+

Digital measurement and feedback...

Provokes greater reflection on self

…including on previously unaware patterns/ consequences.

Considered neutral, honest, ‘scientific’

Revelation of ‘truth’

People piqued by challenge of relating ‘true’ data to their constructions of reality

And work hard to reconcile the two

Hence, active engagement with the feedback



Contrasts and comparisons

Breaks with the ‘norm’- Social norm- Own temporal norm

can promote belief in possibility of change (self-efficacy perceptions)e.g. “I can walk a mile”


Challenges to self-image also provoke:

search for explanations/ justifications…

behaviour change

“Can’t believe I was such a slob on Friday!”

“I didn’t know I was so wasteful!”


Changes perceptions of environmental factors

e.g. “I didn’t know I could walk a mile!”

e.g. “the dish-washer uses loads more electricity than I thought...”


Target-setting

… with self-selected targets

e.g. sometimes, just asking a question is enough

From ongoing PhD work by Kavita Patel, Kingston University

Essential elements of the response to an intervention:

… reflective engagement with own behaviour

… some measure of comparison

… self defined targets

Documents

Why people behave as they do and the digital interventions we can use to make a difference