Behavioural analysis

The analysis of behavioural change covers a large area of study crossing multiple disciplines including social studies, economics, and psychology. Some elements of the study of behavioural change focus on interventions and their ability to drive change in behaviours through explicit testing in ‘lab’ conditions (i.e. interventional psychology and experimental economics). Others seek to understand the willingness of respondents to change behaviour (e.g. contingent behaviour and valuation analysis) in order to consider explicit policies to drive behavioural change. A third group focus on a descriptive approach characterising the elements underpinning behavioural change and seek to define those in terms of internal (psychological), social (normative) and external (environmental) factors.

The analysis of behaviour change has important implications for program evaluation and intervention design. Understanding behavioural biases and control points in decision making can better inform how you design, adapt, and target interventions and improve predictions around eventual behaviour.

At Heuris we can provide a unique mix of expertise of how behavioural factors impact decision making. Our work in behavioural change is grounded in strong theoretical frameworks around decision making, and we combine these skills with significant expertise in behavioural analysis, experimental methods, interventions design and application, and evaluation of behavioural change outcomes. Our services include:

• Survey methods to assess current behaviours, the antecedents of behavioural change, planned/intended behaviours, cognitive/social biases and more
• Experimental methods to test theory and/or planned behavioural interventions including field and laboratory experimental methods
• Behavioural change program design, implementation and evaluation
• Direct evaluation of program impacts on behavioural change
• Design of ongoing behavioural change, evaluation, and adaptation programs (e.g. for climate change mitigation through employee behavioural change)
• Conceptual and literature review of planned behavioural change programs
• The development of rapid assessment tools that can provide for the targeting of interventions based on behavioural factors.