Resetting Beliefs about HIV Risk among Low-Income South African Teens Behavioral Insights Elizabeth Long, Senior Associate | 8 February 2016 2015 ideas4222 Health Consumer Finance Economic Mobility Education Energy and Environment Criminal Justice Evidence- Based Solutions To help millions of people worldwide A non-profit behavioral science design firm. 2015 ideas423 ideas42 Methodology: An iterative process DEFINEDIAGNOSEDESIGNTEST REDEFINE PROBLEM FIND ANOTHER BOTTLENECK STATED PROBLEM DISENTANGLE PRESUMPTIONS CAPACITY AND SCALABILITY INTERVENTION CONCEPT CONTEXT RECONNAISSANCE BEHAVIORAL MAP HYPOTHESIZED BOTTLENECKS POLISH INTERVENTION DETERMINE FEASIBILITY CLARIFY OUTCOMES IDENTIFY SIDE EFFECTS ROBUST EXPERIMENT ACTIONABLE BOTTLENECKS SCALABLE INTERVENTION DEFINED PROBLEM ideas42partnersequentialiterativeas necessaryconsumer Provide new information to change beliefs and attitudes. Social marketing of services and products to create demand (create new values or aspirations). Provide accurate information (to address myths). Reframe information to appeal to specific identities. Harness social norms to influence choices. 2015 ideas424 Behavior Change Communication vs Behavioral Science Simplify choices to remove obstacles to decision-making. Optimize timing and salience of information (reduce cognitive cost). Facilitate commitment to action. BCC Both BSci The Behavioral Model of Decisions and Actions DecisionActionOutcome I want X So, what should I do? I get X A B Yes No Is it easy? Will it take a long time? Am I in the right mood? Can I put it off? Yes No Dont know What do I feel I deserve? The behavioral approach 2015 ideas42 Changing Mental Models Case Study: Reducing HIV Prevalence in South Africa Resetting beliefs about HIV risk Among year old women in South Africa, (Maughan-Brown et al., 2014) 36% report partnerships with a 5+ year age-gap. A 30 year old man is ~5x as likely to have HIV as 20 year old man. WRONG MENTAL MODEL: Young women think older men are safer than younger men. Treatment: Control: Text detailing relative HIV risk of different populations in South Africa. Case Study: Reducing HIV Prevalence in South Africa Resetting beliefs about HIV risk Datta, Burns, Maughan-Brown, Darling and Eyal. Risking It all for Love? Resetting Beliefs About HIV Risk Among Low-Income South African Teens. Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization 118, October 2015. Case Study: Reducing HIV Prevalence in South Africa Resetting beliefs about HIV risk Treatment group (especially women) were more likely to identify older men as more risky in follow-up survey Datta, Burns, Maughan-Brown, Darling and Eyal. Risking It all for Love? Resetting Beliefs About HIV Risk Among Low-Income South African Teens. Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization 118, October 2015. KEY TAKEAWAYS 12 Insights 1.Behavior can contradict our intentions and preferences. 2.Context matters: often small and overlooked features of our environment can have an unexpectedly outsized influence on our behavior. 3.Were all part of the equation. 4.We cant assume that because we designed a program or service the way things ought to be, peoples behavior should follow. Align ourselves with the perspectives of the decision-makers 13 Thank you! 14