What is Behavioural Science?
Behavioural science utilises theory, insights and methods from Behavioural Economics, Cognitive, Social and Health Psychology.
Combined under the umbrella of behavioural science, these disciplines provide us with a comprehensive toolkit which can help us to understand why we behave the way we do and what are the key influencers on the decisions we make.
Behavioural science challenges our usual views about human behaviour. It asks us to consider the internal and external influences on behaviours.
How do we use Behavioural Science?
Behavioural Science brings rigour and discipline to intervention design, development, and evaluation. It uses explicit theories and models, which can underpin interventions, and provide a cumulative evidence base of what actually works.
Behavioural Scientists have valuable research and methodological skills, in some cases these can lead to new avenues for public health, such as the ability to use large datasets to inform practice.
Behavioural Scientists contribute quantitative and qualitative skills for evaluation, to understand what works, how it works, why and for whom.