Why things go wrong and how to mitigate them.
Why things go wrong and how to mitigate them.
Written by Lauren Alys Kelly
Ever wondered why, despite your best intentions, some projects end up causing unexpected or even negative consequences?
Well, you're not alone.
Designing for behaviour is a bit like navigating a maze – there are twists, turns, surprises and ghouls lurking around every corner. Let’s explore why things can go wrong and help you keep your impact on track.
Branching Out: The Unpredictable Nature of Behavior
When you introduce a new idea or intervention, human behavior can take unexpected paths, creating "branches" that either boost or break your project. Boost branches are those complimentary behaviours that align with your goals and amplify your impact. On the other hand, break branches are the destructive behaviours that work against your project.
To make sure you're prepared for both, ask yourself:
What new actions or behaviours might emerge after we launch?
Which behaviours can boost our idea?
Which actions could potentially break or undo our impact?
By brainstorming and documenting these branches, you can identify potential issues and opportunities, ensuring your project stays on track.
Riding the Emotional Rollercoaster:
Anticipating Emotional Impact
Emotions can be tricky to predict, but they play a crucial role in how people respond to your intervention. Unintended emotional effects can either boost or break your project, so it's essential to consider the feelings you're creating.
Ask yourself:
What positive emotions are we fostering?
What negative emotions might we inadvertently create?
Could our idea be misinterpreted or provoke unintended emotions?
By exploring these questions, you'll be better prepared to address any emotional surprises that come your way.
Preparing for the Surge:
Ensuring Your System Can Handle Success
Sometimes, your idea works so well that it creates a "surge" – too many people trying to engage in the desired behavior, but your system can't handle the load. Think of an electrical surge… too much at one time and it blows the whole block.
To prevent this tripping point, consider the following:
What happens if our idea is too successful?
What environmental factors could act as barriers if too many people engage?
What resources are needed to handle the surge?
By planning for the possibility of a surge, you can ensure that your intervention remains effective even when it's wildly successful.
Balancing the Scales:
Avoiding Offset Behaviours
When people make progress towards a goal, they might offset that progress by engaging in "naughty" behaviours. To avoid these counterproductive actions, ask yourself:
What behavior does our idea encourage?
What potential mirror behavior could undermine our impact?
Being aware of these offset behaviours can help you make adjustments to your intervention, keeping your impact on track.
Watch Out for the Spill: Managing Unintended Influence
Spillover effects can be tricky little things that sneak up on us when we least expect them. They occur when a change in one area of a person's life or behaviour spills over into other areas, leading to all sorts of consequences, both good and bad.
Let's take a closer look at the different types of spillover effects we might encounter:
1. Positive spillover effects: Good leads to good
These occurs when a change leads to improvements in related behaviours or areas.
Picture this - someone starts eating healthier, and before you know it, they're exercising more, sleeping better, and feeling happier. It's like a domino effect of goodness.
This happens because of cognitive consistency - our brains like harmony between our beliefs, attitudes, and actions. When we make a positive change, we're more likely to engage in other positive behaviours to maintain that consistency.
To embrace positive spillovers, ask yourself:
What complementary behaviours might our intervention inspire?
How can we reinforce and encourage these positive spillovers?
2. Negative spillover effects: Downward spirals
They happen when a change results in negative consequences in related behaviours or areas.
Now, imagine someone who exercises more but ends up spending less time with their family. Suddenly, relationships are strained, and things aren't looking so great.
This can occur due to resource constraints or competing priorities, where focusing on one area inadvertently detracts from another.
Ask yourself:
Are there any potential trade-offs or negative consequences associated with our intervention?
How can we minimise these risks?
3. Cross-domain spillover effects: When impact jumps
These are real sneaky. They happen when a change in one area somehow impacts behaviours in completely unrelated domains. For example, someone starts recycling at home, and suddenly they're making eco-friendly choices at work too!
This happens because our brains create mental associations between different areas of our lives, leading us to apply similar principles across domains.
Ask yourself:
How might our idea influence behaviour in other, seemingly unrelated areas?
Are there opportunities to extend our impact across domains?
4. Intra-individual spillover effects: Me-to-myself spillovers
They happen when a change in one behaviour influences other behaviours within the same person. Picture someone who starts meditating and, as if by magic, also develops healthier eating habits.
This can result from self-perception, where engaging in one positive behaviour shifts an individual's self-concept, making them more likely to adopt other positive behaviours.
Ask yourself:
What other behaviours within the target audience might our idea influence?
6. Inter-individual spillover effects: Social ripples
This is when a change in one person's behavior rubs off on others, creating a ripple effect that spreads across social networks. Imagine one person in a household starts recycling, and soon enough, the whole family's on board.
This occurs because we humans are social creatures, and we tend to observe, imitate, and conform to the behaviours of those around us. This phenomenon is also known as social influence, which plays a crucial role in shaping our attitudes and actions.
To spot potential inter-individual spillover effects, consider the following questions:
How might our intervention influence the social dynamics within a group or community?
Are there any opinion leaders or influencers who could amplify the desired behavior?
Can we leverage social networks or peer-to-peer connections to enhance the intervention's impact?
7. Temporal spillover effects: Time-traveling impact
These happen when a change in behaviour at one point in time influences the same or different behaviours later on. Think about a person who learns about energy conservation in school and later adopts energy-saving habits as an adult.
The psychology behind this type of spillover effect is rooted in the idea that past experiences shape our future behaviours. As we learn and internalise new values or habits, they can become ingrained in our long-term memory and resurface later in our lives, affecting our choices and actions.
Explore temporal effects by asking yourself:
How might our intervention influence long-term attitudes, beliefs, or habits?
Are there specific moments or milestones in a person's life when our intervention could have a more lasting impact?
Can we use follow-up strategies or reinforcement techniques to ensure that the desired behavior sticks over time?
