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Applying Behavioural Science to the Private Sector pp 35–49Cite as

The Science Behind Behaviour

Why Evidence-Based Theories and Models Are Useful

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Abstract

This chapter describes how theories and models of behaviour provide focus, help to cut through complexity and guide decisions about what products, services and interventions to design and develop. Rubinstein argues that too many businesses focus on changing attitudes and beliefs rather than on the behaviours themselves and that without a good theory or model of behaviour, companies do not know what activities to observe, or what is really important in influencing behaviour. She defines what makes a good theory or model of behaviour and how to use and develop models to understand specific challenges. She uses the COM-B and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology to illustrate how theories benefit decision-making and how they can be used in practice.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    There is a science to designing and testing constructs that are valid and reliable. If you want to know more, a good starter is Modern Psychometrics: The Science of Psychological Assessment by Rust and Golombok (2009) Routledge.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Innovia Technology Ltd, Cambridge, UK

    Helena Rubinstein

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  1. Helena Rubinstein
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Rubinstein, H. (2018). The Science Behind Behaviour. In: Applying Behavioural Science to the Private Sector. Palgrave Pivot, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-01698-2_3

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