Skip to main content
Top
Published in: BMC Public Health 1/2021

Open Access 01-12-2021 | Commentary

Beyond choice architecture: advancing the science of changing behaviour at scale

Authors: Theresa M. Marteau, Paul C. Fletcher, Marcus R. Munafò, Gareth J. Hollands

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2021

Login to get access

Abstract

Addressing the global threats to population and planetary health requires changing many behaviours at scale. This demands consideration not only of the effect size of an intervention but also its reach – the proportion of the population exposed to the intervention.
We propose that a relatively under-researched and generally poorly specified set of interventions involving changes to physical micro-environments – often referred to as Choice Architecture - has the potential to make a significant contribution to meeting this urgent challenge.
Realising the potential of Choice Architecture interventions requires integration of basic i.e. laboratory-based and applied i.e. field-based research, generating interventions that can be delivered at scale alongside advancing theory. We illustrate this with examples to highlight the complementarity of laboratory and field studies informed by and in turn updating the results of evidence synthesis. The examples comprise two sets of interventions – changing the relative availability of products and changing their size - to reduce consumption of meat, energy from food and alcohol across populations.
Literature
6.
go back to reference Michie S. The behaviour change wheel: a guide to designing interventions. Great Britain: Silverback; 2014. Michie S. The behaviour change wheel: a guide to designing interventions. Great Britain: Silverback; 2014.
7.
go back to reference Michie S, Richardson M, Johnston M, Abraham C, Francis J, Hardeman W, Eccles MP, Cane J, Wood CE. The behavior change technique taxonomy (v1) of 93 hierarchically clustered techniques: building an international consensus for the reporting of behavior change interventions. Ann Behav Med. 2013;46(1):81–95. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-013-9486-6.CrossRefPubMed Michie S, Richardson M, Johnston M, Abraham C, Francis J, Hardeman W, Eccles MP, Cane J, Wood CE. The behavior change technique taxonomy (v1) of 93 hierarchically clustered techniques: building an international consensus for the reporting of behavior change interventions. Ann Behav Med. 2013;46(1):81–95. https://​doi.​org/​10.​1007/​s12160-013-9486-6.CrossRefPubMed
20.
go back to reference Pechey R, Spiegelhalter D, Marteau TM. Impact of plain packaging of tobacco products on smoking in adults and children: an elicitation of international experts’ estimates. BMC Public Health. 2013 Dec;13(1):1–7.CrossRef Pechey R, Spiegelhalter D, Marteau TM. Impact of plain packaging of tobacco products on smoking in adults and children: an elicitation of international experts’ estimates. BMC Public Health. 2013 Dec;13(1):1–7.CrossRef
24.
go back to reference West R, Michie S. A brief introduction to the COM-B model of behaviour and the PRIME theory of motivation [v1]. Qeios, vol. 7; 2020. West R, Michie S. A brief introduction to the COM-B model of behaviour and the PRIME theory of motivation [v1]. Qeios, vol. 7; 2020.
27.
go back to reference Pinder C, Vermeulen J, Cowan BR, Beale R. Digital behaviour change interventions to break and form habits. ACM Trans Comput-Hum Interact. 2018;25(3):15 1–15:66.CrossRef Pinder C, Vermeulen J, Cowan BR, Beale R. Digital behaviour change interventions to break and form habits. ACM Trans Comput-Hum Interact. 2018;25(3):15 1–15:66.CrossRef
30.
go back to reference McGill R, Anwar E, Orton L, Bromley H, Lloyd-Williams F, O’Flaherty M, et al. Are interventions to promote healthy eating equally effective for all? Systematic review of socioeconomic inequalities in impact. BMC Public Health. 2015;15:457.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral McGill R, Anwar E, Orton L, Bromley H, Lloyd-Williams F, O’Flaherty M, et al. Are interventions to promote healthy eating equally effective for all? Systematic review of socioeconomic inequalities in impact. BMC Public Health. 2015;15:457.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
32.
go back to reference Thaler R, Sunstein CR. Nudge: improving decisions about health, wealth, and happiness. New Haven: Yale University Press; 2008. Thaler R, Sunstein CR. Nudge: improving decisions about health, wealth, and happiness. New Haven: Yale University Press; 2008.
34.
go back to reference Czajkowski SM, Powell LH, Adler N, Naar-King S, Reynolds KD, Hunter CM, et al. From ideas to efficacy: the ORBIT model for developing behavioral treatments for chronic diseases. Health Psychol. 2015;34(10):971–82.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral Czajkowski SM, Powell LH, Adler N, Naar-King S, Reynolds KD, Hunter CM, et al. From ideas to efficacy: the ORBIT model for developing behavioral treatments for chronic diseases. Health Psychol. 2015;34(10):971–82.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
42.
go back to reference Reynolds JP, Ventsel M, Kosīte D, Rigby Dames B, Brocklebank LA, Masterton S, et al. Impact of decreasing the proportion of higher energy foods and reducing portion sizes on energy purchased in worksite cafeterias: a stepped-wedge randomised controlled trial. Rev. PLOS med; in press. Reynolds JP, Ventsel M, Kosīte D, Rigby Dames B, Brocklebank LA, Masterton S, et al. Impact of decreasing the proportion of higher energy foods and reducing portion sizes on energy purchased in worksite cafeterias: a stepped-wedge randomised controlled trial. Rev.  PLOS med; in press.
46.
56.
go back to reference Langley T, Szatkowski L, Lewis S, McNeill A, Gilmore AB, Salway R, et al. The freeze on mass media campaigns in England: a natural experiment of the impact of tobacco control campaigns on quitting behaviour. Addict Abingdon Engl. 2014;109(6):995–1002. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.12448.CrossRef Langley T, Szatkowski L, Lewis S, McNeill A, Gilmore AB, Salway R, et al. The freeze on mass media campaigns in England: a natural experiment of the impact of tobacco control campaigns on quitting behaviour. Addict Abingdon Engl. 2014;109(6):995–1002. https://​doi.​org/​10.​1111/​add.​12448.CrossRef
Metadata
Title
Beyond choice architecture: advancing the science of changing behaviour at scale
Authors
Theresa M. Marteau
Paul C. Fletcher
Marcus R. Munafò
Gareth J. Hollands
Publication date
01-12-2021
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2021
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-11382-8

Other articles of this Issue 1/2021

BMC Public Health 1/2021 Go to the issue