Leveraging BeSci Better to Craft Experiences
The field of Behaviour Science seeks to comprehend human behaviour beyond the assumption of rationality. It works to observe and learn the innate biases and motivators to employ these insights to nudge behaviour in specific directions.
Organisations can leverage behavioural science principles to enhance experiences in various settings, including the socio-development sector. Employing behavioural insights can yield powerful results, requiring mindfulness of grassroots details when crafting experiences. For instance, consider an NGO using principles like priming, anchoring, or the peak-end rule to transform an awareness workshop on sexual health for rural women.
Let us first understand what these principles mean to elaborate on the above. As a behavioural science principle, priming highlights our susceptibility to subtle subconscious cues, such as the authority delivering information. In the context of the sexual health awareness workshop, leveraging priming can shape the atmosphere by using warm colours, inviting surroundings, and a non-judgmental environment, setting the stage for openness, trust, and engagement. Mediums such as posters, diagrams, or memes can further enhance women’s exposure to terms, concepts, and ideas, facilitating a more profound understanding than simple verbal explanations.
Secondly, Anchoring emphasises our tendency to become attached to the initial information presented, using it as a reference for judging subsequent information. In the context of the sexual health awareness workshop, creating an outstanding and impressive first impression is crucial for a lasting impact. Initiating the session with empowering narratives or stories of women overcoming struggles in similar circumstances can establish a hopeful and powerful start. This positive tone sets the stage for the entire workshop, ensuring the women remember the experience as pleasant and impactful.
Lastly, The peak-end rule, a significant behavioural principle, asserts that people evaluate an experience based on the feelings at its peak and its end rather than the overall sum or average. In sexual health workshops, focusing on peak moments like discussions on rights, consent, and decision-making becomes crucial. Additionally, concluding the seminar positively by summarising key takeaways and offering further support or resources solidifies the end of the experience. This approach ensures attendees depart feeling empowered, informed, and supported.
One real-life example of behavioural sciences used in a social context is WHO’s Behavioural Insights Unit (BIT) in Africa. They attempted to use behavioural insights for better community engagement to impact health outcomes positively. This includes generating evidence about and with the community and ensuring capacity within Ministries of Health for collecting behavioural insights or data to inform policies and plans. This milestone achievement increased the use of mainstream behavioural science in the African health sector.
“From the very beginning of the behavioural insights for better health initiative, we have worked closely with the WHO Regional Office for Africa, achieving results such as strengthened skills and capacity and the collection of COVID-19 social and behavioural data through a dedicated data collection tool,” said Elena Altieri, Behavioural Insights Head of Unit
In conclusion, applying behavioural science principles, such as priming, anchoring, and the peak-end rule, presents a transformative opportunity to create enhanced experiences. Employing these insights in socio-developmental settings, like the sexual health awareness workshop in our example, fosters engagement and empowerment and leaves a lasting impact.
By understanding and leveraging these principles, social organisations can craft more meaningful, impactful, and memorable experiences for their target audiences and drive positive societal change for social growth. Applying behavioural science principles provides a transformative opportunity for enhanced experiences. Integrating research insights with practical interventions leads to meaningful impact in socio-developmental settings.
Written by Siya Kohli, Intern, CSBC
