Behavioural change theories
Encyclopedia
Behavioural change theories and models are attempts to explain the reasons behind alterations in individuals' behavioural patterns. These theories cite environmental, personal, and behavioural characteristics as the major factors in behavioural determination. In recent years, there has been increased interest in the application of these theories in the areas of health
, education
, criminology
, energy
and international development
with the hope that understanding behavioural change will improve the services offered in these areas.
and Planned Behaviour, Albert Bandura
's writings on Social Cognitive Theory
, and James Prochaska and Carlo DiClemente's works on the Transtheoretical Model
. More recently, interest in behavioural change theories has arisen due to their apparent application in areas like health, education, and criminology, leading to further research backed by institutions like the National Institutes of Health
and the UK Prime Minister's Strategy Unit
. With this renewed interest, however, there is also a shift towards research into understanding the maintenance of behavioural change in addition to broadening the research base for revising current theories that focus on initial change.
, Social Cognitive Theory
, Theories of Reasoned Action
and Planned Behaviour, Transtheoretical Model
and the Health Action Process Approach
. Research has also been conducted regarding specific elements of these theories, especially elements like self-efficacy
that are common to several of the theories.
is an individual's impression of their own ability to perform a demanding or challenging task such as facing an exam or undergoing surgery. This impression is based upon factors like the individual's prior success in the task or in related tasks, the individual's physiological state, and outside sources of persuasion. Self-efficacy is thought to be predictive of the amount of effort an individual will expend in initiating and maintaining a behavioural change, so although self-efficacy is not a behavioural change theory per se, it is an important element of many of the theories, including the Health Belief Model
, the Theory of Planned Behaviour and the Health Action Process Approach
.
, which state that complex behaviour is learned gradually through the modification of simpler behaviours. Imitation
and reinforcement
play important roles in these theories, which state that individuals learn by duplicating behaviours they observe in others and that rewards are essential to ensuring the repetition of desirable behaviour. As each simple behaviour is established through imitation and subsequent reinforcement
, the complex behaviour develops. When verbal behaviour is established the organism can learn through rule-governed behaviour and thus not all action needs to be contingency shaped.
Skinner (1957) was one of the first psychologists to recognise the critical role of imitation (what he termed "echoic behaviour") in the learning of language. Behaviour analytic theories of change have been quite effective in improving the human condition (see behaviour modification, behaviour therapy
and applied behaviour analysis).
, behavioural change is determined by environmental, personal, and behavioural elements. Each factor affects each of the others. For example, in congruence with the principles of self-efficacy, an individual's thoughts affect their behaviour and an individual's characteristics elicit certain responses from the social environment. Likewise, an individual's environment affects the development of personal characteristics as well as the person's behaviour, and an individual's behaviour may change their environment as well as the way the individual thinks or feels. Social learning theory focuses on the reciprocal interactions between these factors, which are hypothesised to determine behavioural change.
assumes that individuals consider a behaviour's consequences before performing the particular behaviour. As a result, intention is an important factor in determining behaviour and behavioural change. According to Icek Ajzen, intentions develop from an individual's perception of a behaviour as positive or negative together with the individual's impression of the way their society perceives the same behaviour. Thus, personal attitude and social pressure shape intention, which is essential to performance of a behaviour and consequently behavioural change.
, which is also known as the Stages of Change Model, behavioural change is a five-step process. The five stages, between which individuals may oscillate before achieving complete change, are precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance. At the precontemplation stage, an individual may or may not be aware of a problem but has no thought of changing their behaviour. From precontemplation to contemplation, the individual develops a desire to change a behaviour. During preparation, the individual intends to change the behaviour within the next month, and during the action stage, the individual begins to exhibit new behaviour consistently. An individual finally enters the maintenance stage once they exhibit the new behaviour consistently for over six months.
(HAPA) is designed as a sequence of two continuous self-regulatory processes, a goal-setting phase (motivation) and a goal-pursuit phase (volition). The second phase is subdivided into a pre-action phase and an action phase. Motivational self-efficacy, outcome-expectancies and risk perceptions are assumed to be predictors of intentions. This is the motivational phase of the model. The predictive effect of motivational self-efficacy on behaviour is assumed to be mediated by recovery self-efficacy, and the effects of intentions are assumed to be mediated by planning. The latter processes refer to the volitional phase of the model.
In the interest of promoting healthy lifestyle development, behavioural change theories have gained recognition for their possible effectiveness in explaining health-related behaviours and providing insight into methods that would encourage individuals to develop and maintain healthy lifestyles. Specific health
applications of behavioural change theories include the development of programs promoting active lifestyles and programs reducing the spread of diseases like AIDS
. In addition, the National Institutes of Health
has, in recent years, funded research to broaden the information base for behavioural change theories.
Models specific to health applications include the Health Belief
/Health Action Model, Relapse Prevention Model, the Health Action Process Approach
and the I-Change Model
. The Health Belief Model, also known as the Health Action Model, states that individuals will alter health-related behaviour according to the perceived severity of the threat to their health. The Relapse Prevention Model concentrates on promoting prolonged healthy behaviour by making distinctions between lapses and relapses in an attempt to encourage individuals to maintain healthy lifestyles. The I-Change Model
, the Integrated Model for explaining motivational and behavioural change, is derived from the Attitude – Social influence – Self-Efficacy Model. This model can be considered as an integration of ideas of Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behaviour, Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory, Prochaska's Transtheoretical Model, the Health Belief Model, and goal setting theories. Previous versions of this model (referred to as the ASE-model) have been used to explain a variety of types of health behaviour. In a similar way, the Health Action Process Approach
represents an integration of self-efficacy
theory and volition
theories.
is behavioural change, the understanding of behaviour afforded by behavioural change theories provides insight into the formulation of effective teaching methods that tap into the mechanisms of behavioural change. In an era when education programs strive to reach large audiences with varying socioeconomic status
es, the designers of such programs increasingly strive to understand the reasons behind behavioural change in order to understand universal characteristics that may be crucial to program design.
In fact, some of the theories, like the Social Learning Theory and Theory of Planned Behaviour, were developed as attempts to improve health education. Because these theories address the interaction between individuals and their environments, they can provide insight into the effectiveness of education programs given a specific set of predetermined conditions, like the social context in which a program will be initiated. Although health education is still the area in which behavioural change theories are most often applied, theories like the Stages of Change Model have begun to be applied in other areas like employee training and developing systems of higher education.
support behavioural change theories. At the same time, the general theories of behavioural change suggest possible explanations to criminal behaviour and methods of correcting deviant behaviour. Since deviant behaviour correction entails behavioural change, understanding of behavioural change can facilitate the adoption of effective correctional methods in policy-making. For example, the understanding that deviant behaviour like stealing may be learned behaviour resulting from reinforcers like hunger satisfaction that are unrelated to criminal behaviour can aid the development of social controls that address this underlying issue rather than merely the resultant behaviour.
Specific theories that have been applied to criminology include the Social Learning
and Differential Association
Theories. Social Learning Theory's element of interaction between an individual and their environment explains the development of deviant behaviour as a function of an individual's exposure to a certain behaviour and their acquaintances, who can reinforce either socially acceptable or socially unacceptable behaviour. Differential Association Theory, originally formulated by Edwin Sutherland
, is a popular, related theoretical explanation of criminal behaviour that applies learning theory concepts and asserts that deviant behaviour is learned behaviour. Jeffery's reexamination of Sutherland's original theory adds that because of the necessity of temporal proximity between punishment and behaviour for conditioning to occur, the legal system's application of punishment
is more likely to generate law evasion rather than to correct deviant behaviour.
. The application of behavioural change theories in the field of energy consumption behaviour yields interesting insights. For example, it supports criticism of a too narrow focus on individual behaviour and a broadening to include social interaction, lifestyles, norms and values as well as technologies and policies—all enabling or constraining behavioural change. Intervention programmes aimed at the change of energy consumption patterns need to take into account that behavioural change is best achieved and maintained if supported by tailored information and changes in context, for example supportive social networks, policies or technologies.
Health
Health is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person's mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain...
, education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
, criminology
Criminology
Criminology is the scientific study of the nature, extent, causes, and control of criminal behavior in both the individual and in society...
, energy
Energy
In physics, energy is an indirectly observed quantity. It is often understood as the ability a physical system has to do work on other physical systems...
and international development
International development
International development or global development is a concept that lacks a universally accepted definition, but it is most used in a holistic and multi-disciplinary context of human development — the development of greater quality of life for humans...
with the hope that understanding behavioural change will improve the services offered in these areas.
History
Many of the original works outlining the major theories that are the basis for current knowledge about behavioural change theories were published in the 1970s and 1980s. These include Icek Ajzen's articles on the Theories of Reasoned ActionTheory of reasoned action
The theory of reasoned action , developed by Martin Fishbein and , derived from previous research that started out as the theory of attitude, which led to the study of attitude and behavior...
and Planned Behaviour, Albert Bandura
Albert Bandura
Albert Bandura is a psychologist and the David Starr Jordan Professor Emeritus of Social Science in Psychology at Stanford University...
's writings on Social Cognitive Theory
Social cognitive theory
Social cognitive theory, used in psychology, education, and communication, posits that portions of an individual's knowledge acquisition can be directly related to observing others within the context of social interactions, experiences, and outside media influences.-History:Social cognitive theory...
, and James Prochaska and Carlo DiClemente's works on the Transtheoretical Model
Transtheoretical Model
The Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change assesses an individual's readiness to act on a new healthier behavior, and provides strategies, or processes of change to guide the individual through the stages of change to action and maintenance....
. More recently, interest in behavioural change theories has arisen due to their apparent application in areas like health, education, and criminology, leading to further research backed by institutions like the National Institutes of Health
National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...
and the UK Prime Minister's Strategy Unit
Prime Minister's Strategy Unit
The Prime Minister's Strategy Unit was an elite unit based in the UK Cabinet Office between 2002 and 2010...
. With this renewed interest, however, there is also a shift towards research into understanding the maintenance of behavioural change in addition to broadening the research base for revising current theories that focus on initial change.
General theories and models
Each behavioural change theory or model focuses on different factors in attempting to explain behavioural change. Of the many that exist, the most prevalent are the learning theoriesLearning theory (education)
In psychology and education, learning is commonly defined as a process that brings together cognitive, emotional, and environmental influences and experiences for acquiring, enhancing, or making changes in one's knowledge, skills, values, and world views . Learning as a process focuses on what...
, Social Cognitive Theory
Social cognitive theory
Social cognitive theory, used in psychology, education, and communication, posits that portions of an individual's knowledge acquisition can be directly related to observing others within the context of social interactions, experiences, and outside media influences.-History:Social cognitive theory...
, Theories of Reasoned Action
Theory of reasoned action
The theory of reasoned action , developed by Martin Fishbein and , derived from previous research that started out as the theory of attitude, which led to the study of attitude and behavior...
and Planned Behaviour, Transtheoretical Model
Transtheoretical Model
The Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change assesses an individual's readiness to act on a new healthier behavior, and provides strategies, or processes of change to guide the individual through the stages of change to action and maintenance....
and the Health Action Process Approach
Health Action Process Approach
Health behavior change refers to a replacement of health-compromising behaviors by health-enhancing behaviors . To describe, predict, and explain such processes, theories or models are being developed...
. Research has also been conducted regarding specific elements of these theories, especially elements like self-efficacy
Self-efficacy
Self-efficacy is a term used in psychology, roughly corresponding to a person's belief in their own competence.It has been defined as the belief that one is capable of performing in a certain manner to attain certain set of goals. It is believed that our personalized ideas of self-efficacy affect...
that are common to several of the theories.
Self-efficacy
Self-efficacySelf-efficacy
Self-efficacy is a term used in psychology, roughly corresponding to a person's belief in their own competence.It has been defined as the belief that one is capable of performing in a certain manner to attain certain set of goals. It is believed that our personalized ideas of self-efficacy affect...
is an individual's impression of their own ability to perform a demanding or challenging task such as facing an exam or undergoing surgery. This impression is based upon factors like the individual's prior success in the task or in related tasks, the individual's physiological state, and outside sources of persuasion. Self-efficacy is thought to be predictive of the amount of effort an individual will expend in initiating and maintaining a behavioural change, so although self-efficacy is not a behavioural change theory per se, it is an important element of many of the theories, including the Health Belief Model
Health Belief Model
The health belief model is a health behavior change and psychological model developed by Irwin M. Rosenstock in 1966 for studying and promoting the uptake of health services. The model was furthered by Becker and colleagues in the 1970s and 1980s...
, the Theory of Planned Behaviour and the Health Action Process Approach
Health Action Process Approach
Health behavior change refers to a replacement of health-compromising behaviors by health-enhancing behaviors . To describe, predict, and explain such processes, theories or models are being developed...
.
Learning theories/behaviour analytic theories of change
From behaviourists like Burrhus Frederic Skinner come the learning theoriesLearning theory (education)
In psychology and education, learning is commonly defined as a process that brings together cognitive, emotional, and environmental influences and experiences for acquiring, enhancing, or making changes in one's knowledge, skills, values, and world views . Learning as a process focuses on what...
, which state that complex behaviour is learned gradually through the modification of simpler behaviours. Imitation
Imitation
Imitation is an advanced behavior whereby an individual observes and replicates another's. The word can be applied in many contexts, ranging from animal training to international politics.-Anthropology and social sciences:...
and reinforcement
Reinforcement
Reinforcement is a term in operant conditioning and behavior analysis for the process of increasing the rate or probability of a behavior in the form of a "response" by the delivery or emergence of a stimulus Reinforcement is a term in operant conditioning and behavior analysis for the process of...
play important roles in these theories, which state that individuals learn by duplicating behaviours they observe in others and that rewards are essential to ensuring the repetition of desirable behaviour. As each simple behaviour is established through imitation and subsequent reinforcement
Reinforcement
Reinforcement is a term in operant conditioning and behavior analysis for the process of increasing the rate or probability of a behavior in the form of a "response" by the delivery or emergence of a stimulus Reinforcement is a term in operant conditioning and behavior analysis for the process of...
, the complex behaviour develops. When verbal behaviour is established the organism can learn through rule-governed behaviour and thus not all action needs to be contingency shaped.
Skinner (1957) was one of the first psychologists to recognise the critical role of imitation (what he termed "echoic behaviour") in the learning of language. Behaviour analytic theories of change have been quite effective in improving the human condition (see behaviour modification, behaviour therapy
Behaviour therapy
Behaviour therapy, or behavior therapy is an approach to psychotherapy based on learning theory which aims to treat psychopathology through techniques designed to reinforce desired and eliminate undesired behaviours.-History:...
and applied behaviour analysis).
Social learning/social cognitive theory
According to the social learning theory, which is also known as the social cognitive theorySocial cognitive theory
Social cognitive theory, used in psychology, education, and communication, posits that portions of an individual's knowledge acquisition can be directly related to observing others within the context of social interactions, experiences, and outside media influences.-History:Social cognitive theory...
, behavioural change is determined by environmental, personal, and behavioural elements. Each factor affects each of the others. For example, in congruence with the principles of self-efficacy, an individual's thoughts affect their behaviour and an individual's characteristics elicit certain responses from the social environment. Likewise, an individual's environment affects the development of personal characteristics as well as the person's behaviour, and an individual's behaviour may change their environment as well as the way the individual thinks or feels. Social learning theory focuses on the reciprocal interactions between these factors, which are hypothesised to determine behavioural change.
Theory of Reasoned Action
The Theory of Reasoned ActionTheory of reasoned action
The theory of reasoned action , developed by Martin Fishbein and , derived from previous research that started out as the theory of attitude, which led to the study of attitude and behavior...
assumes that individuals consider a behaviour's consequences before performing the particular behaviour. As a result, intention is an important factor in determining behaviour and behavioural change. According to Icek Ajzen, intentions develop from an individual's perception of a behaviour as positive or negative together with the individual's impression of the way their society perceives the same behaviour. Thus, personal attitude and social pressure shape intention, which is essential to performance of a behaviour and consequently behavioural change.
Theory of Planned Behaviour
In 1985, Ajzen expanded upon the theory of reasoned action, formulating the Theory of Planned Behaviour, which also emphasises the role of intention in behaviour performance but is intended to cover cases in which a person is not in control of all factors affecting the actual performance of a behaviour. As a result, the new theory states that the incidence of actual behaviour performance is proportional to the amount of control an individual possesses over the behaviour and the strength of the individual's intention in performing the behaviour. In his article, Ajzen further hypothesises that self-efficacy is important in determining the strength of the individual's intention to perform a behaviour.Transtheoretical/Stages of Change Model
According to the Transtheoretical ModelTranstheoretical Model
The Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change assesses an individual's readiness to act on a new healthier behavior, and provides strategies, or processes of change to guide the individual through the stages of change to action and maintenance....
, which is also known as the Stages of Change Model, behavioural change is a five-step process. The five stages, between which individuals may oscillate before achieving complete change, are precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance. At the precontemplation stage, an individual may or may not be aware of a problem but has no thought of changing their behaviour. From precontemplation to contemplation, the individual develops a desire to change a behaviour. During preparation, the individual intends to change the behaviour within the next month, and during the action stage, the individual begins to exhibit new behaviour consistently. An individual finally enters the maintenance stage once they exhibit the new behaviour consistently for over six months.
Health Action Process Approach
The Health Action Process ApproachHealth Action Process Approach
Health behavior change refers to a replacement of health-compromising behaviors by health-enhancing behaviors . To describe, predict, and explain such processes, theories or models are being developed...
(HAPA) is designed as a sequence of two continuous self-regulatory processes, a goal-setting phase (motivation) and a goal-pursuit phase (volition). The second phase is subdivided into a pre-action phase and an action phase. Motivational self-efficacy, outcome-expectancies and risk perceptions are assumed to be predictors of intentions. This is the motivational phase of the model. The predictive effect of motivational self-efficacy on behaviour is assumed to be mediated by recovery self-efficacy, and the effects of intentions are assumed to be mediated by planning. The latter processes refer to the volitional phase of the model.
Applications
Behavioural change theories have potential applications in many areas. Prominent areas of application include healthcare, education, criminal and energy consumption behaviour. These issues are important to societal functionality and policy-making, resulting in recent renewed interest in these theories.Health
Health
Health is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person's mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain...
applications of behavioural change theories include the development of programs promoting active lifestyles and programs reducing the spread of diseases like AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
. In addition, the National Institutes of Health
National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...
has, in recent years, funded research to broaden the information base for behavioural change theories.
Models specific to health applications include the Health Belief
Health Belief Model
The health belief model is a health behavior change and psychological model developed by Irwin M. Rosenstock in 1966 for studying and promoting the uptake of health services. The model was furthered by Becker and colleagues in the 1970s and 1980s...
/Health Action Model, Relapse Prevention Model, the Health Action Process Approach
Health Action Process Approach
Health behavior change refers to a replacement of health-compromising behaviors by health-enhancing behaviors . To describe, predict, and explain such processes, theories or models are being developed...
and the I-Change Model
I-Change Model
The I-Change Model or the Integrated Model for explaining motivational and behavioral change is derived from the Attitude – Social Influence – Self-Efficacy Model, that can be considered as an integration of ideas of Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behavior, Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory, Prochaska's...
. The Health Belief Model, also known as the Health Action Model, states that individuals will alter health-related behaviour according to the perceived severity of the threat to their health. The Relapse Prevention Model concentrates on promoting prolonged healthy behaviour by making distinctions between lapses and relapses in an attempt to encourage individuals to maintain healthy lifestyles. The I-Change Model
I-Change Model
The I-Change Model or the Integrated Model for explaining motivational and behavioral change is derived from the Attitude – Social Influence – Self-Efficacy Model, that can be considered as an integration of ideas of Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behavior, Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory, Prochaska's...
, the Integrated Model for explaining motivational and behavioural change, is derived from the Attitude – Social influence – Self-Efficacy Model. This model can be considered as an integration of ideas of Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behaviour, Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory, Prochaska's Transtheoretical Model, the Health Belief Model, and goal setting theories. Previous versions of this model (referred to as the ASE-model) have been used to explain a variety of types of health behaviour. In a similar way, the Health Action Process Approach
Health Action Process Approach
Health behavior change refers to a replacement of health-compromising behaviors by health-enhancing behaviors . To describe, predict, and explain such processes, theories or models are being developed...
represents an integration of self-efficacy
Self-efficacy
Self-efficacy is a term used in psychology, roughly corresponding to a person's belief in their own competence.It has been defined as the belief that one is capable of performing in a certain manner to attain certain set of goals. It is believed that our personalized ideas of self-efficacy affect...
theory and volition
Volition
Volition may refer to:*Volition , the cognitive process by which an individual decides on and commits to a particular course of action...
theories.
Education
Behavioural change theories can be used as guides in developing effective teaching methods. Since the goal of much educationEducation
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
is behavioural change, the understanding of behaviour afforded by behavioural change theories provides insight into the formulation of effective teaching methods that tap into the mechanisms of behavioural change. In an era when education programs strive to reach large audiences with varying socioeconomic status
Socioeconomic status
Socioeconomic status is an economic and sociological combined total measure of a person's work experience and of an individual's or family’s economic and social position in relation to others, based on income, education, and occupation...
es, the designers of such programs increasingly strive to understand the reasons behind behavioural change in order to understand universal characteristics that may be crucial to program design.
In fact, some of the theories, like the Social Learning Theory and Theory of Planned Behaviour, were developed as attempts to improve health education. Because these theories address the interaction between individuals and their environments, they can provide insight into the effectiveness of education programs given a specific set of predetermined conditions, like the social context in which a program will be initiated. Although health education is still the area in which behavioural change theories are most often applied, theories like the Stages of Change Model have begun to be applied in other areas like employee training and developing systems of higher education.
Criminology
Empirical studies in criminologyCriminology
Criminology is the scientific study of the nature, extent, causes, and control of criminal behavior in both the individual and in society...
support behavioural change theories. At the same time, the general theories of behavioural change suggest possible explanations to criminal behaviour and methods of correcting deviant behaviour. Since deviant behaviour correction entails behavioural change, understanding of behavioural change can facilitate the adoption of effective correctional methods in policy-making. For example, the understanding that deviant behaviour like stealing may be learned behaviour resulting from reinforcers like hunger satisfaction that are unrelated to criminal behaviour can aid the development of social controls that address this underlying issue rather than merely the resultant behaviour.
Specific theories that have been applied to criminology include the Social Learning
Social learning theory
-Theory:Social learning theory is derived from the work of Albert Bandura which proposed that social learning occurred through four main stages of imitation:* close contact* imitation of superiors* understanding of concepts* role model behavior...
and Differential Association
Differential association
In criminology, Differential Association is a theory developed by Edwin Sutherland proposing that through interaction with others, individuals learn the values, attitudes, techniques, and motives for criminal behavior....
Theories. Social Learning Theory's element of interaction between an individual and their environment explains the development of deviant behaviour as a function of an individual's exposure to a certain behaviour and their acquaintances, who can reinforce either socially acceptable or socially unacceptable behaviour. Differential Association Theory, originally formulated by Edwin Sutherland
Edwin Sutherland
Edwin H. Sutherland was an American sociologist. He is considered as one of the most influential criminologists of the twentieth century...
, is a popular, related theoretical explanation of criminal behaviour that applies learning theory concepts and asserts that deviant behaviour is learned behaviour. Jeffery's reexamination of Sutherland's original theory adds that because of the necessity of temporal proximity between punishment and behaviour for conditioning to occur, the legal system's application of punishment
Punishment
Punishment is the authoritative imposition of something negative or unpleasant on a person or animal in response to behavior deemed wrong by an individual or group....
is more likely to generate law evasion rather than to correct deviant behaviour.
Energy
Recent years have seen an increased interest in energy consumption reduction based on behavioural change, be it for reasons of climate change mitigation or energy securityEnergy security
Energy security is a term for an association between national security and the availability of natural resources for energy consumption. Access to cheap energy has become essential to the functioning of modern economies. However, the uneven distribution of energy supplies among countries has led...
. The application of behavioural change theories in the field of energy consumption behaviour yields interesting insights. For example, it supports criticism of a too narrow focus on individual behaviour and a broadening to include social interaction, lifestyles, norms and values as well as technologies and policies—all enabling or constraining behavioural change. Intervention programmes aimed at the change of energy consumption patterns need to take into account that behavioural change is best achieved and maintained if supported by tailored information and changes in context, for example supportive social networks, policies or technologies.
Objections
Behavioural change theories are not universally accepted. Criticisms include the theories' emphases on individual behaviour and a general disregard for the influence of environmental factors on behaviour. In addition, as some theories were formulated as guides to understanding behaviour while others were designed as frameworks for behavioural interventions, the theories' purposes are not consistent. Such criticism illuminates the strengths and weaknesses of the theories, showing that there is room for further research into behavioural change theories.See also
- Behaviour modification
- Behaviourism
- Culture changeCulture changeCulture change is a term used in public policy making that emphasises the influence of cultural capital on individual and community behaviour. It places stress on the social and cultural capital determinants of decision making and the manner in which these interact with other factors like the...
- Health Action Process ApproachHealth Action Process ApproachHealth behavior change refers to a replacement of health-compromising behaviors by health-enhancing behaviors . To describe, predict, and explain such processes, theories or models are being developed...
- Health Belief ModelHealth Belief ModelThe health belief model is a health behavior change and psychological model developed by Irwin M. Rosenstock in 1966 for studying and promoting the uptake of health services. The model was furthered by Becker and colleagues in the 1970s and 1980s...
- I-Change ModelI-Change ModelThe I-Change Model or the Integrated Model for explaining motivational and behavioral change is derived from the Attitude – Social Influence – Self-Efficacy Model, that can be considered as an integration of ideas of Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behavior, Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory, Prochaska's...
- Technology acceptance modelTechnology acceptance modelThe Technology Acceptance Model is an information systems theory that models how users come to accept and use a technology. The model suggests that when users are presented with a new technology, a number of factors influence their decision about how and when they will use it, notably:* Perceived...
- Theory of planned behaviour
- Theory of reasoned actionTheory of reasoned actionThe theory of reasoned action , developed by Martin Fishbein and , derived from previous research that started out as the theory of attitude, which led to the study of attitude and behavior...
External links
- Theory at a glance at Cancer.govNational Cancer InstituteThe National Cancer Institute is part of the National Institutes of Health , which is one of 11 agencies that are part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The NCI coordinates the U.S...