#LetsUnlitterUK: A demonstration and evaluation of the Behavior Change Wheel methodology.

Julia Kolodko,Daniel Read,Kelly Ann Schmidtke,Ivo Vlaev,Anat Gesser-Edelsburg

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0259747

Abstract

The Behavior Change Wheel is the most comprehensive and practically useful methodology available for developing behavior change interventions. The current article demonstrates how it can be applied to optimize pro-environmental behaviors and, in so doing, give interventionists access to a rigorous set of theories and techniques for systematically developing pro-environmental interventions. Section 1 describes the development of an intervention to increase people's intentions to post anti-littering messages on social media. Study 2 describes the development and evaluation of an intervention to increase people's actual anti-littering posts. Both evaluations are randomized controlled trials that compare the effectiveness of the developed intervention with interventions less informed by the Wheel. We found interventions completely informed by the Wheel to be more effective than interventions less (or not at all) informed by the Wheel. The discussion explores how the Behavior Change Wheel methodology can be used to design future pro-environment interventions.

Highlights

The Behavior Change Wheel synthesizes insights from 19 domain-specific frameworks and claims to be the most comprehensive and practically useful behavior change framework available [1]
A significantly greater percentage of participants who experienced the multi-component intervention completely informed by the Wheel (23.5%) posted their message than participants who experienced a more straightforward social norms approach (11.5%), or no intervention (7.9%)
The following five domains significantly contributed to the model at the predetermined 0.05 alpha level: ‘Skills’ (Odds ratio = 1.51, p = 0.05, 95% confidence interval [1.02, 2.23]), Social influences–Item 2 (Odds ratio = 0.80, p = .01, 95% confidence interval [0.83, 1.33], ‘Beliefs about capabilities’ (Odds ratio = 1.42, p = .02, 95% confidence interval [1.07, 1.89]), ‘Intentions’ (Odds ratio = 1.74, p < .001, 95% confidence interval [1.37, 2.21]), and ‘Reinforcement’ (Odds ratio = 0.74, p = .01, 95% confidence interval [0.59, 0.92])

Summary

Introduction

The Behavior Change Wheel synthesizes insights from 19 domain-specific frameworks and claims to be the most comprehensive and practically useful behavior change framework available [1]. The Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs’ 4-E model describes four reasons pro-environmental interventions may be ineffective but does not help identify which reason(s) are most important to address [2]. Looking at another example, the MINDSPACE framework provides a checklist of nine tools policymakers can use to change behavior by influencing more automatic psychological processes, but it does not provide tools to address more reflective psychological processes nor guidance as to when each tool should be used in particular circumstances [3]. The Behavior Change Wheel seeks to provide a comprehensive and pragmatic eight-step methodology to change behavior.

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Conclusion