Category: Uncategorized
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Applied social & behavioural science in 2026: from better messages to better systems
If I had to describe my 2025 work in one sentence, it would be this: applied social and behavioural science is moving upstream. This year I’ve worked across vaccine uptake in Cameroon, safety and accountability in nightlife settings in Georgia, and national social protection behavioural design in Rwanda, along with a number of assignments around…
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Writing stories for behaviour change
Entertainment has always shaped how we see the world. In recent years, we’ve seen a real acceleration in how strategic storytelling can shift norms, spark conversations, and nudge people toward more positive behaviours. During a recent panel discussion I moderated, organized in collaboration with Robert Rippberger, I had the pleasure of speaking with Laurel Felt,…
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What Does ‘Applying a Behavioural Lens’ Mean?
Going into a full-blown behavioural science process is not always feasible for teams. In fact, it is not always necessarily advisable. A good first step is to review current systems and processes through a behavioural lens first. But what does it mean to ‘apply a behavioural lens’? What does that look like in practice? And…
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Countering Misinformation from Authority Figures – A Behavioural Science Perspective
When a social media influencer shares a conspiracy theory, it’s frustrating. But when the misinformation comes from a figure of authority (e.g. a health minister, a CEO, a political leader) it’s something else entirely. People tend to place greater trust in those with status, titles, or expertise. That trust is a heuristic that saves us…
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ABS, SBC, BI in Global Development – What is the difference?
If you work in global development, you’ve probably heard people throw around terms like Applied Behavioural Science, Social and Behaviour Change (SBC), and Behavioural Insights (BI). They all sound similar because they are: each draws on how people make decisions and behave. But they come from different traditions, use different toolkits, and are useful in…
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What 60+ Professionals Taught Me About Behavioural Science Skills
So far this year, I’ve worked with five different teams on projects ranging from social protection to making nightlife safer. A large portion of my work involves supporting teams in understanding how they can pragmatically apply a social and behavioural science lens to their work. Having always been drawn to psychology and understanding how people…
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Tips from Behavioural Science to Run Workshops That Actually Work
When we run a workshop, what are we really trying to achieve? Sure, we might want to pass on information, “raise awareness” or introduce a new tool. But if we zoom out a little, the real goal is simple: we want people to do things differently afterwards. Whether it’s adopting a new process, shifting their…
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Social and Behaviour Change Frameworks – What’s Next?
About a year ago, I wrapped up a project that involved a deep dive into social and behaviour change (SBC) frameworks being used across the international development space. At the time, we were trying to make sense of all the different approaches floating around: some old, some new, many rebranded, and almost all claiming to…
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How to Translate Behaviour Change Techniques into Project Ideas
You’ve completed collecting your data. You’ve identified the key barriers. Now comes the most crucial part: making sure that you use the right behaviour change technique to design your intervention. Most people struggle with this step because it requires an understanding of the theoretical underpinnings as well as the ability to turn a concept into…
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How to Easily Understand the System Behind Any Behaviour
When we talk about changing behaviour, it’s easy to assume that the decision lies solely with the individual. But in reality, behaviour is shaped by a much larger ecosystem. By breaking down the layers that influence behaviour, we can better understand why certain actions happen (or don’t) and what barriers might be in the way.…