the changelog
Volume 2, Issue 3| July 2023
BEHAVIOUR CHANGE AND POLICY DIALOGUE 2023
On 23 June, the Centre for Social and Behaviour Change (CSBC) held the “Behaviour Change and Policy Dialogue 2023” in partnership with the Behavioural Insights Team (BIT) and Behavioural Insights, Architecture & Strategy (BIAS). The conference hosted experts, including Dr Somak Raychaudhury, Vice Chancellor of Ashoka University, as the Chief Guest and Dr David Halpern CBE, CEO of BIT, as the Keynote Speaker.
The event featured a panel discussion on ‘Development Challenges and Behaviour Change,’ bringing together public policy experts, behavioural economists, and social norms researchers — Nirat Bhatnagar, Partner at Dalberg Advisors; Radharani Mitra, Global Creative Advisor at BBC Media Action; Rory Gallagher, Managing Director at BIT; Dr Sujoy Chakravarty, Professor at JNU; and Urvashi Wattal, Associate Director — Policy at J-PAL South Asia. This engaging discussion delved into aspects of the ethics of nudging, policy implications, funding dynamics, technical innovations, and behavioural solutions.
Building on Dr Halpern’s expertise in behaviour science in the UK and insights from our panellists, the 2023 Dialogue emphasised the significance of behaviour science in the narrative of developing India. View the recording here.
PROJECTS
STUDYING COVID-19 VACCINE HESITANCY IN RURAL INDIA
We released two short films on our COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in rural Uttar Pradesh and Bihar study at the “Vaccine Acceptance Research Network Second Annual Conference”. VARN2023 was organised in Bangkok by the Sabin Vaccine Institute and UNICEF in partnership with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. Watch the first film above and explore the study findings here.
STUDYING COVID-19 VACCINE HESITANCY IN RURAL INDIA
In collaboration with the Central Square Foundation (CSF), we identified behavioural obstacles that hinder effective parental engagement in children’s FLN learning. Our team, led by Dr Sneha Shashidhara and Dr Pavan Mamidi, developed intervention packages rooted in behavioural principles to enhance parental involvement and overcome these barriers. Read more here.
If you’re interested in participating in our research studies, click here!
CAPACITY BUILDING
KNOWLEDGE COLLABORATION WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF LUCKNOW (UoL) TO PROPEL BEHAVIOUR SCIENCE IN UTTAR PRADESH
CSBC and the UoL signed an MoU to advance scientific learning, research, and professional skills development among students. This partnership offers students academic and professional development opportunities while paving the way for contextual research in the state. The collaboration was launched with a lecture, “Introduction to Experimental Economics,” by Dr Narges Hajimoladarvish, Senior Research Fellow, CSBC. Read it in the press here.
TRAINING PROGRAMME AT LAL BAHADUR SHASTRI NATIONAL ACADEMY OF ADMINISTRATION (LBSNAA)
CSBC successfully conducted a training program, “Nudge — Behavioural Insights in Policy”, in partnership with the Department of Monitoring and Evaluation (DMEO). This initiative included participation from 183 IAS officers in their seventh and ninth years of service. It is the first of its kind program for such officials to receive training on applying behavioural science to policy.
EVENTS
REDUCING PHYSICIAN HESITANCY IN RECOMMENDING THE HPV VACCINE TO ADOLESCENT GIRLS
In continuation of our work with the American Cancer Society (ACS) to reduce physician hesitancy in recommending Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to adolescent girls (9–14 years), Jocelyn Joseph, Senior Associate, CSBC, presented diagnostic findings of our research to members of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics and the Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India at a recent conference organised by the Cancer Foundation of India and ACS. The conference brought prominent paediatric and gynaecological societies together to promote HPV vaccination implementation interventions among physicians. Read our report here.
TRANSFERRING LESSONS FROM RURAL TO URBAN PROGRAMMES
Gautam Patel, Deputy Director, CSBC, shared valuable insights from our behavioural science work in Bihar at the Satat Jeevikoparan Yojana — Urban: Inaugural Workshop, organised by Jeevika (Bihar Rural Livelihoods Promotion Society) and BRAC (Building Resources Across Communities). He participated in a panel discussion titled, Transferring Lessons from Rural to Urban Programs. “Perspectives on the pressures on the urban poor to navigate in cities, without their village social networks and under the congestion and competition of cities, brought light on the need for behavioural interventions to help them cope and succeed in pulling themselves out of poverty”, attests Gautam. Read about the event in the press here.
WEBINAR ON DECODING SOCIAL NORMS
The Social Norms Learning Collaborative, South Asia hosted its second webinar on “Social norms: What really are they” on 7 July 2023 to demystify social norms and create a deeper understanding of their nature. Dr Sharon Barnhardt, Director — Research from CSBC, moderated the session for speakers Dr Sanjit Dhami, Professor at the University of Leicester and Shruti Goyal, Associate Partner at Dalberg. View the webinar recording here.
PUBLICATIONS
OPINION EDITORIALS IN THE MEDIA
Solving the Scalability Puzzle
BY Arushi Malhotra and Sheral Shah
9 May 2023
India Development Review
Behaviour Change and Climate Action
By Ashali Bhandari and Pooja Haldea
31 May 2023
India Development Review
DIAGNOSTIC REPORT
Improve Teacher Uptake of Effective FLN Instruction
In partnership with Central Square Foundation
March 2023
BORROWED WISDOM: THE DAVID HALPERN SERIES
In this episode, Professor Halpern dives into how behavioural science works to change people’s behaviour and how small tweaks can create massive change. Listen to the podcast here.
Read how seemingly small and subtle solutions have led to huge improvements across tax, healthcare, pensions, employment, crime reduction, energy conservation and economic growth.
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