Harnessing the power of digital
technology to develop and test
behaviour change theory
Susan Michie
Professor of Health Psychology
Director of Centre for Behaviour Change
@SusanMichie
Main messages
• Digital interventions have huge potential to
support behaviour change
• However, this potential will only be realised if
1. informed by the science of behaviour change
• Empirical evidence about what works, for whom, in what
circumstances
• Theoretical principles of motivation, self-regulation and
engagement
2. Knowledge is accumulated using sophisticated
experimental designs and cross-disciplinary
collaboration, informed by theory
Could revolutionise development and testing
of behaviour change theory
• Generate large amounts of data
– continuous and rapid cycles of testing and adaptation
• Allow interventions that are
– in “real” time and context
– tailored to the individual, setting and the moment
– interactive and adaptive
• Deliver interventions with perfect fidelity and
specification
But requires …
• Strategic thinking about
– what data need to be collected
– how they should be structured and analysed
• For example, how to deal with variation in amount of
engagement with different parts of site
– what collaborations need to be forged
• Linking theoretical constructs and mechanisms of
action to behaviour change techniques
What do we mean by behaviour change
techniques (BCTs)
• “Active ingredients” within the intervention
designed to change behaviour
• They are
– observable,
– replicable and
– irreducible components of an intervention
• Can be used alone or in combination with other
BCTs
BCT Taxonomy v1: 93 items in 16 groupings
The BCTTv1 smartphone app
• Fully searchable version of BCTTv1
• Search by BCT label, BCT grouping or
alphabetically
• Increases familiarity with the taxonomy
• Increases speed and recall of BCT labels and
definitions
Search for: BCTs
bcts.23.co.uk*
Search for: BCTs*
bcts.23.co.uk*
* You’ll need an internet connection to use the app
www.bct-taxonomy.com
Which behaviour change techniques?
• Start with a model of behaviour change
• Link to a comprehensive framework of
behaviour change interventions
• 9 intervention functions
– each of these linked to behaviour change
techniques
Michie et al (2011), Implementation Science.
[OPEN ACCESS]
OR
www.behaviourchangewheel.com
The COM-B model
Behaviour occurs as an interaction between three
necessary conditions
Michie et al (2011) Implementation Science
Example of BCTs according to these drivers
e.g. self-regulatory skills such as goal setting,
self-monitoring, action planning, distraction
e.g. messages to boost self-confidence, make long-term
rewards more immediate and vivid, show progress
e.g. stimulate social support, changing one’s environment,
provide cues and alerts, information about locality
Example: effective
intervention for
smoking cessation
• Offers ongoing behavioural support
– an automated advisor to help smokers stop using structured quit plan and a
ready source of information
– delivers up to 33 evidence- or theory-based BCTs (Michie et al, 2012)
– One example ……..
Principle / BCT
Intervention content Website design
Construct personal rule to Introduction of motto: ‘Not
generate strong resolve
a puff, no matter what’ &
/Strengthen ex-smoker
image to support
identity
Image attractive; simple
motto; interactive – use
site, emails & texts to
deliver