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As we see another round of complaints about Singaporeans going out, can we talk about behaviour change?
This is something I& #39;ve studied a little and think a lot about. 1/9
As we see another round of complaints about Singaporeans going out, can we talk about behaviour change?
This is something I& #39;ve studied a little and think a lot about. 1/9
Something I find frustrating is the bias people have about behaviour change: we always judge others harshly for being unable to adopt the behaviour we are able to adopt. It has a lot to do with what "come naturally" to different people. 2/9
But behaviours fulfill a need and more importantly, behavioural change is actually a complex process. This is why so many resolutions fail!
To change behaviours, you need to:
1) Change beliefs
2) Find new methods, change old methods
3) Take action and mantain new habits 3/9
To change behaviours, you need to:
1) Change beliefs
2) Find new methods, change old methods
3) Take action and mantain new habits 3/9
1) Change beliefs
Firstly, there& #39;s the problem of individual goals not lining up with desired behaviour. This means there must be buy-in. Then, even with a common goal, people can have different definitions e.g. "what is essential". Or there can be competing goals 4/9
Firstly, there& #39;s the problem of individual goals not lining up with desired behaviour. This means there must be buy-in. Then, even with a common goal, people can have different definitions e.g. "what is essential". Or there can be competing goals 4/9
On top of that, there can be legitimate individual goals that outweigh this specific goal. And there can be emotional resistance and lack of motivation even after a goal has been accepted cognitively. 5/9
2) Find new methods, fix old methods
To change behaviour, the problem is a pragmatic one: how to do the new desired behaviour? This is hardly ever straightforward and requires trial and error. Sometimes planning is needed and frustration is involved, so people give up 6/9
To change behaviour, the problem is a pragmatic one: how to do the new desired behaviour? This is hardly ever straightforward and requires trial and error. Sometimes planning is needed and frustration is involved, so people give up 6/9
Moreover, find the root cause of failure is difficult: is it an issue with environment? Does the method not suit the individual? Does the behaviour need to be simplified? And not everyone is willing or able to figure it out. 7/9
3) mantain new behaviour
But perhaps hardest of them all is being consistent. Just because you changed your behaviour today doesn& #39;t mean that you will stick to it. Underlying that is often some unconscious need or emotional resistance. 8/9
But perhaps hardest of them all is being consistent. Just because you changed your behaviour today doesn& #39;t mean that you will stick to it. Underlying that is often some unconscious need or emotional resistance. 8/9
So, especially when we are looking at an entire population, believing behaviour change is going to be immediately and widely successful overnight is delusional and I think using laws to create change is counterproductive 9/9
Some of my notes from a workshop I attended:
@guanyinmiao some thoughts I& #39;ve been to express about why people have trouble complying with circuit breaker
