Behavioral insights

Behavioural Insights - WHO | World Health Organization

Behavioural insights is a term increasingly used within public institutions to refer to efforts made to gain accurate and evidence-based understanding of how people behave and make decisions. Planning, designing and implementing policies and programmes on the basis of this deeper understanding increase their impact.

Behavioural insights are particularly relevant to public health, as every day, each one of us make tens of decisions that have an impact on our own health and the health of those around us.

Today we know that behaviors are influenced by many external and internal factors and that simply providing information to people does not necessarily translate into behaviors that contribute to healthier lives.

Insights into people’s behaviours are obtained through the application of behavioral and social sciences, anthropology, cognitive sciences and psychology, among others. When seeking behavioural evidence, these disciplines work together to identify which factors and biases will increase the probability that a behavior occurs or not.  

When used to improve policies and programmes, behavioural insights can inform the design of innovative processes and practices; help reframe and improve communications; identify the need for nudges to overcome biases and barriers; or ensure that products and services are designed keeping users’ need in mind.