How Do We Really Change Behavior? Science vs. Common Sense

People often have their own ideas about what makes others follow rules. This is important because these beliefs can influence how they react to policies designed to change behavior. But do these everyday ideas match up with what science says? A big study asked over 3, 000 people about what they think makes people follow rules, like those introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings show that, overall, people's common sense ideas about rule-following are quite similar to what scientific research has found. However, people tend to think these factors have a bigger impact than they actually do.This doesn't mean everyone understands behavior change perfectly. But it does show that, as a group, people's ideas are not too far off from what science tells us. Interestingly, what people believe also shapes their preferences for policies that use these ideas to encourage rule-following. This suggests that everyday ideas about behavior change could be a useful starting point for creating policies that are both scientifically sound and acceptable to the public. It's a reminder that people's experiences and beliefs are a valuable resource for understanding and influencing behavior.