Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rdxmf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T22:36:24.091Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

1 - Changing Behavior: A Theory- and Evidence-Based Approach

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 July 2020

By
Martin S. Hagger ,
Linda D. Cameron ,
Kyra Hamilton ,
Nelli Hankonen  and
Taru Lintunen
Edited by
Martin S. Hagger ,
Linda D. Cameron ,
Kyra Hamilton ,
Nelli Hankonen  and
Taru Lintunen
Martin S. Hagger
Affiliation:
University of California, Merced
Linda D. Cameron
Affiliation:
University of California, Merced
Kyra Hamilton
Affiliation:
Griffith University
Nelli Hankonen
Affiliation:
University of Helsinki
Taru Lintunen
Affiliation:
University of Jyväskylä
Get access

Summary

Social problems in many domains, including health, education, social relationships, and the workplace, have their origins in human behavior. The documented links between behavior and social problems have sparked interest in governments and organizations to develop effective interventions to promote behavior change. The Handbook of Behavior Change provides comprehensive coverage of contemporary theory, research, and practice on behavior change. The handbook incorporates theory- and evidence-based approaches to behavior change with chapters from leading theorists, researchers, and practitioners from multiple disciplines, including psychology, sociology, behavioral science, economics, and implementation science. Chapters are organized into three parts: (1) Theory and Behavior Change; (2) Methods and Processes of Behavior Change: Intervention Development, Application, and Translation; and (3) Behavior Change Interventions: Practical Guides to Behavior Change. This chapter provides an overview of the theory- and evidence-based approaches of the handbook, introduces the content of the handbook, and provides suggestions on how the handbook may be used by different readers. The handbook aims to provide all interested in behavior change, including researchers and students, practitioners, and policy makers, with up-to-date knowledge on behavior change and guidance on how to develop effective interventions to change behavior in different populations and contexts.

Keywords

theories of behavior changemechanisms of actionbehavior change techniquesbehavior change interventionsimplementationstep-by-step guides
Type
Chapter
Information
The Handbook of Behavior Change , pp. 1 - 14
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2020

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Aarts, H., & Dijksterhuis, A. (2000). Habits as knowledge structures: Automaticity in goal-directed behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 78, 53–63. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.78.1.53CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Abraham, C. (2012). Mapping change mechanisms onto behaviour change techniques: A systematic approach to promoting behaviour change through text. In Abraham, C. & Kools, M. (Eds.), Writing Health Communication: An Evidence Based Guide (pp. 99–116). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.Google Scholar
Abraham, C., & Michie, S. (2008). A taxonomy of behavior change techniques used in interventions. Health Psychology, 27, 379–387. https://doi.org/10.1037/0279-6133.27.3.379CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50, 179–211. https://doi.org/10.1016/0749-5978(91)90020-TGoogle Scholar
Bandura, A. (1971). Vicarious and self-reinforcement processes. In Glaser, R. (Ed.), The Nature of Reinforcement (pp. 228–278). New York: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Bandura, A. (1986). Social Foundations of Thought and Action: A Social-Cognitive Theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.Google Scholar
Bargh, J. A. (1994). The Four Horsemen of automaticity: Awareness, efficiency, intention, and control in social cognition. In Wyer, R. S. & Srull, T. K. (Eds.), Handbook of Social Cognition, Vol. 2 (pp. 1–40). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.Google Scholar
Bartholomew Eldredge, L. K., Markham, C. M., Ruiter, R. A. C., Fernández, M. E., Parcel, G. S., & Kok, G. (2016). Planning Health Promotion Programs: An Intervention Mapping Approach (4th ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.Google Scholar
Behavioral Insights Team. (2019a). The Behavioural Insights Team. Website. www.bi.teamGoogle Scholar
Behavioral Insights Team. (2019b). The Behavioural Insights Team Annual Update Report 2017–18. www.bi.team/publications/the-behavioural-insights-team-annual-report-2017-18Google Scholar
Bem, D. J. (1965). An experimental analysis of self-persuasion. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 1, 199–218. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-1031(65)90026–0Google Scholar
Bishop, F. L., Fenge-Davies, A. L., Kirby, S., & Geraghty, A. W. A. (2015). Context effects and behaviour change techniques in randomised trials: A systematic review using the example of trials to increase adherence to physical activity in musculoskeletal pain. Psychology and Health, 30, 104–121. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2014.953529Google Scholar
Brandt, M. J., & Proulx, T. (2015). QTIPs: Questionable theoretical and interpretive practices in social psychology. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 38, 277–289. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X14001149Google Scholar
Cabinet Office. (2011). Government Response to the Science and Technology Select Committee Report on Behaviour Change. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/60538/Government-Response-House-of-Lords-Inquiry-Behaviour-Change.pdfGoogle Scholar
Carey, R. N., Connell, L. E., Johnston, M. et al. (2018). Behavior change techniques and their mechanisms of action: A synthesis of links described in published intervention literature. Annals of Behavioral Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1093/abm/kay078Google Scholar
Carver, C. S., & Scheier, M. F. (1982). Control-theory: A useful conceptual framework for personality-social, clinical and health psychology. Psychological Bulletin, 92, 111–135. https://doi.org/10.1037//0033-2909.92.1.111Google Scholar
College of Policing. (2019). What Works College of Policing. Website. https://whatworks.college.police.uk/Pages/default.aspxGoogle Scholar
Connell, L. E., Carey, R. N., de Bruin, M. et al. (2018). Links between behavior change techniques and mechanisms of action: An expert consensus study. Annals of Behavioral Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1093/abm/kay082Google Scholar
Connell Bohlen, L. E., Michie, S., de Bruin, M. et al. (2019). Do combinations of behaviour change techniques that occur frequently in interventions reflect underlying theory? PsyArXiv. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/49djmGoogle Scholar
Dalgetty, R., Miller, C. B., & Dombrowski, S. U. (2019). Examining the theory-effectiveness hypothesis: A systematic review of systematic reviews. British Journal of Health Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12356CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1985). Intrinsic Motivation and Self-Determination in Human Behavior. New York: Plenum Press.Google Scholar
Dombrowski, S. U., O’Carroll, R. E., & Williams, B. (2016). Form of delivery as a key “active ingredient” in behaviour change interventions. British Journal of Health Psychology, 21, 733–740. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12203Google Scholar
EEF (Education Endowment Foundation). (2019). The Education Endowment Foundation. Website. https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.ukGoogle Scholar
Fazio, R. H. (1990). Multiple processes by which attitudes guide behavior: The MODE model as an integrative framework. In Zanna, M. P. (Ed.), Advances in Experimental Social Psychology Vol. 23 (pp. 75–109). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Festinger, L. (1964). Behavioral support for opinion change. Public Opinion Quarterly, 28, 404–417. https://doi.org/10.1086/267263Google Scholar
French, S. D., Green, S. E., O’Connor, D. A. et al. (2012). Developing theory-informed behaviour change interventions to implement evidence into practice: A systematic approach using the Theoretical Domains Framework. Implementation Science, 7. https://doi.org/10.1186/1748-5908-7-38Google Scholar
Glanz, K., & Bishop, D. B. (2010). The role of behavioral science theory in development and implementation of public health interventions. Annual Review of Public Health, 31, 399–418. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.publhealth.012809.103604Google Scholar
Goodwin, L., Ostuzzi, G., Khan, N., Hotopf, M. H., & Moss-Morris, R. (2016). Can we identify the active ingredients of behaviour change interventions for coronary heart disease patients? A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS ONE, 11, e0153271. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0153271Google Scholar
Guyatt, G., Cairns, J., Churchill, D. et al. (1992). Evidence-based medicine: A new approach to teaching the practice of medicine. JAMA, 268, 2420–2425. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.1992.03490170092032CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hagger, M. S. (2009). Theoretical integration in health psychology: Unifying ideas and complimentary explanations. British Journal of Health Psychology, 14, 189–194. https://doi.org/10.1348/135910708X397034CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hagger, M. S. (2019). Habit and physical activity: Theoretical advances, practical implications, and agenda for future research. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 42, 118–129. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2018.12.007Google Scholar
Hagger, M. S., & Hardcastle, S. J. (2014). Interpersonal style should be included in taxonomies of behaviour change techniques. Frontiers in Psychology, 5, 254. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00254Google Scholar
Hardcastle, S. J., Fortier, M. S., Blake, N., & Hagger, M. S. (2017). Identifying content-based and relational techniques to change behavior in motivational interviewing. Health Psychology Review, 11, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/17437199.2016.1190659Google Scholar
Head, K. J., & Noar, S. M. (2014). Facilitating progress in health behaviour theory development and modification: The reasoned action approach as a case study. Health Psychology Review, 8, 34–52. https://doi.org/10.1080/17437199.2013.778165Google Scholar
Heckhausen, H., & Gollwitzer, P. M. (1987). Thought contents and cognitive functioning in motivational and volitional states of mind. Motivation and Emotion, 11, 101–120. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00992338CrossRefGoogle Scholar
House of Lords. (2011). Science and Technology Committee: Second Report of Session 2010–12: Behaviour Change. www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201012/ldselect/ldsctech/179/179.pdf.Google Scholar
Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, Fast and Slow. New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux.Google Scholar
Klein, W. M. P., Shepperd, J. A., Suls, J., Rothman, A. J., & Croyle, R. T. (2015). Realizing the promise of social psychology in improving public health. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 19, 77–92. https://doi.org/10.1177/1088868314539852CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kok, G., Gottlieb, N. H., Peters, G.-J. Y. et al. (2016). A taxonomy of behavior change methods: An intervention mapping approach. Health Psychology Review, 10, 297–312. https://doi.org/10.1080/17437199.2015.1077155Google Scholar
Kwasnicka, D., Dombrowski, S. U., White, M., & Sniehotta, F. F. (2016). Theoretical explanations for maintenance of behaviour change: A systematic review of behaviour theories. Health Psychology Review, 10, 277–296. https://doi.org/10.1080/17437199.2016.1151372Google Scholar
Leventhal, H., Meyer, D., & Nerenz, D. (1980). The common sense model of illness danger. In Rachman, S. (Ed.), Medical Psychology, Vol. 2 (pp. 7–30). New York: Pergamon Press.Google Scholar
Little, S. G., & Akin-Little, A. (2019). Behavioral Interventions in Schools: Evidence-Based Positive Strategies. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.Google Scholar
Marteau, T. M., Hollands, G. J., & Fletcher, P. C. (2012). Changing human behavior to prevent disease: The importance of targeting automatic processes. Science, 337, 1492–1495. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1226918Google Scholar
McDermott, M. S., Oliver, M., Iverson, D., & Sharma, R. (2016). Effective techniques for changing physical activity and healthy eating intentions and behaviour: A systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Health Psychology, 21, 827–841. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12199Google Scholar
McEwan, D., Beauchamp, M. R., Kouvousis, C., Ray, C. M., Wyrough, A., & Rhodes, R. E. (2018). Examining the active ingredients of physical activity interventions underpinned by theory versus no stated theory: A meta-analysis. Health Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1080/17437199.2018.1547120Google Scholar
Michie, S. (2008). What works and how? Designing more effective interventions needs answers to both questions. Addiction, 103, 886–887. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1360-0443.2007.02112.xGoogle Scholar
Michie, S., Ashford, S., Sniehotta, F. F., Dombrowski, S. U., Bishop, A., & French, D. P. (2011). A refined taxonomy of behaviour change techniques to help people change their physical activity and healthy eating behaviours: The CALO-RE taxonomy. Psychology and Health, 26, 1479–1498. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2010.540664Google Scholar
Michie, S., Carey, R. N., Johnston, M. et al. (2017). From theory-inspired to theory-based interventions: A protocol for developing and testing a methodology for linking behaviour change techniques to theoretical mechanisms of action. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 52, 501–512. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-016-9816-6Google Scholar
Michie, S., Johnston, M., Francis, J., Hardeman, W., & Eccles, M. (2008). From theory to intervention: Mapping theoretically derived behavioural determinants to behaviour change techniques. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 57, 660–680. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1464-0597.2008.00341.xGoogle Scholar
Michie, S., Richardson, M., Johnston, M. et al. (2013). The behavior change technique taxonomy (v1) of 93 hierarchically clustered techniques: Building an international consensus for the reporting of behavior change interventions. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 46, 81–95. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-013-9486-6Google Scholar
Michie, S., Rothman, A., & Sheeran, P. (2007). Current issues and new directions in Psychology and Health: Advancing the science of behavior change. Psychology and Health, 22, 249–253. https://doi.org/10.1080/14768320701233582Google Scholar
Michie, S., van Straalen, M., & West, R. (2011). The behaviour change wheel: A new method for characterising and designing behaviour change interventions. Implementation Science, 6, 42. https://doi.org/10.1186/1748-5908-6-42Google Scholar
Michie, S., Webb, T. L., & Sniehotta, F. F. (2010). The importance of making explicit links between theoretical constructs and behaviour change techniques. Addiction, 105, 1897–1898. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1360-0443.2010.03161.xGoogle Scholar
Michie, S., & West, R. (2013). Behaviour change theory and evidence: A presentation to Government. Health Psychology Review, 7, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/17437199.2011.649445Google Scholar
Michie, S., Wood, C. E., Johnston, M., Abraham, C., Francis, J., & Hardeman, W. (2015). Behaviour change techniques: The development and evaluation of a taxonomic method for reporting and describing behaviour change interventions (a suite of five studies involving consensus methods, randomised controlled trials and analysis of qualitative data). Health Technology Assessment, 19, 99. https://doi.org/10.3310/hta19990CrossRefGoogle Scholar
MRC (Medical Research Council). (2019). Developing and Evaluating Complex Interventions. https://mrc.ukri.org/documents/pdf/complex-interventions-guidanceGoogle Scholar
National Cancer Institute. (2019). Behavioral research program. National Cancer Institute. Website. https://cancercontrol.cancer.gov/brpGoogle Scholar
National Institutes of Health. (2019). Science of behavior change common fund. National Institutes of Health. Website. https://commonfund.nih.gov/behaviorchangeGoogle Scholar
NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence). (2007). Behaviour Change: General Approaches. Public Health Guideline [PH6]. www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ph6Google Scholar
NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence). (2012). Individual-Level Behaviour Change External Evidence Review 1: Review of Current NICE Guidance and Recommendations. www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ph49/evidence/evidence-reviews-pdf-430402861Google Scholar
NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence). (2014). Behaviour Change: Individual Approaches. Public Health Guideline [PH49]. www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ph49Google Scholar
NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence). (2019). National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Website. www.nice.org.ukGoogle Scholar
Nielsen, L., Riddle, M., King, J. W. et al. (2018). The NIH Science of Behavior Change Program: Transforming the science through a focus on mechanisms of change. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 101, 3–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2017.07.002Google Scholar
Noar, S. M., & Zimmerman, R. S. (2005). Health behavior theory and cumulative knowledge regarding health behaviors: Are we moving in the right direction? Health Education Research, 20, 275–290. https://doi.org/10.1093/her/cyg113Google Scholar
O’Cathain, A., Croot, L., Sworn, K. et al. (2019). Taxonomy of approaches to developing interventions to improve health: A systematic methods overview. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 5, 41. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40814-019-0425-6Google Scholar
OBSSR (Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research). (2016). Strategic Plan 2017–2021: Healthier Lives through Behavioral and Social Sciences. Bethesda, MD: OBSSR and National Institutes of Health.Google Scholar
Ogilvie Consulting. (2019). Nudgestock. Website. https://nudgestock.co.uk.Google Scholar
Orbell, S., & Sheeran, P. (1998). “Inclined abstainers”: A problem for predicting health related behaviour. British Journal of Social Psychology, 37, 151–165. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2044-8309.1998.tb01162.xGoogle Scholar
Orbell, S., & Verplanken, B. (2010). The automatic component of habit in health behavior: Habit as cue-contingent automaticity. Health Psychology, 29, 374–383. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0019596Google Scholar
Powers, W. T. (1973). Behavior: The Control of Perception. Chicago: Adline Publishing.Google Scholar
Powers, W. T. (2003). Behavior: The Control of Perception (Vol. 2, rev. ed.). New Canaan, CT: Benchmark Publications.Google Scholar
Prestwich, A., Sniehotta, F. F., Whittington, C., Dombrowski, S. U., Rogers, L., & Michie, S. (2014). Does theory influence the effectiveness of health behavior interventions? Meta-analysis. Health Psychology, 33, 465–474. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0032853Google Scholar
Prestwich, A., Webb, T. L., & Conner, M. (2015). Using theory to develop and test interventions to promote changes in health behaviour: Evidence, issues, and recommendations. Current Opinion in Psychology, 5, 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2015.02.011Google Scholar
Prochaska, J. O., & DiClemente, C. C. (1982). Transtheoretical therapy: Toward a more integrated model of change. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice, 19, 276–288. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0088437Google Scholar
Rhodes, R. E., & de Bruijn, G. J. (2013). How big is the physical activity intention-behaviour gap? A meta-analysis using the action control framework. British Journal of Health Psychology, 18, 296–309. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12032Google Scholar
Rogers, R. W. (1975). A protection motivation theory of fear appeals and attitude change. Journal of Psychology, 91, 93–114. https://doi.org/10.1080/00223980.1975.9915803Google Scholar
Rosenstock, I. M. (1974). Historical origins of the health belief model. Health Education Monographs, 2, 328–335. https://doi.org/10.1177/109019817400200403Google Scholar
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2017). Self-Determination Theory: Basic Psychological Needs in Motivation, Development and Wellness. New York: Guilford Press.Google Scholar
Sallis, J. F., Owen, N., & Fisher, E. B. (2015). Ecological models of health behavior. In Glanz, K., Rimer, B. K., & Viswanath, K. (Eds.), Health Behavior and Health Education: Theory, Research, and Practice (5th ed., pp. 43–64). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.Google Scholar
Schüz, B., Li, A. S.-W., Hardinge, A., McEachan, R. R. C., & Conner, M. (2017). Socioeconomic status as a moderator between social cognitions and physical activity: Systematic review and meta-analysis based on the Theory of Planned Behavior. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 30, 186–195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2017.03.004Google Scholar
Schwarzer, R. (2008). Modeling health behaviour change: How to predict and modify the adoption and maintenance of health behaviors. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 57, 1–29. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1464-0597.2007.00325.xGoogle Scholar
Sheeran, P., Klein, W. M. P., & Rothman, A. J. (2017). Health behavior change: Moving from observation to intervention. Annual Review of Psychology, 68, 573–600. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-010416-044007Google Scholar
Spring, B., Ockene Judith, K., Gidding Samuel, S. et al. (2013). Better population health through behavior change in adults. Circulation, 128, 2169–2176. https://doi.org/10.1161/01.cir.0000435173.25936.e1Google Scholar
Strack, F., & Deutsch, R. (2004). Reflective and impulsive determinants of social behavior. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 8, 220–247. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327957pspr0803_1Google Scholar
Tajfel, H., & Turner, J. C. (1986). The social identity theory of intergroup behaviour. In Worchel, S. G. & Austin, W. (Eds.), Psychology of Intergroup Relations (2nd ed., pp. 7–24). Chicago: Nelson-Hall.Google Scholar
Thaler, R., & Sunstein, C. R. (2008). Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.Google Scholar
Trafimow, D. (2012). The role of auxiliary assumptions for the validity of manipulations and measures. Theory and Psychology, 22, 486–498. https://doi.org/10.1177/0959354311429996Google Scholar
Webb, T. L., Joseph, J., Yardley, L., & Michie, S. (2010). Using the Internet to promote health behavior change: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the impact of theoretical basis, use of behavior change techniques, and mode of delivery on efficacy. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 12, e4. https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.1376Google Scholar
Wood, W. (2017). Habit in personality and social psychology. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 21, 389–403. https://doi.org/10.1177/1088868317720362Google Scholar
Young, W., Davis, M., McNeill, I. M. et al. (2015). Changing behaviour: Successful environmental programmes in the workplace. Business Strategy and the Environment, 24, 689–703. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.1836Google Scholar

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×