1. NEAR-AFAR: A framework for applying the Behaviour Change Wheel to policies and interventions
Robert West
Susan Michie
University College London

2. Aims
To assess how the Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW) relates to the MINDSPACE and EAST frameworks
To introduce the NEAR-AFAR framework as a way of implementing the BCW
To consider successful large scale successful behaviour change interventions in terms of the NEAR-AFAR framework

3. Behaviour change and chess
Analyse the position to determine how to achieve your objective
Make use of all relevant pieces
Co-ordinate your pieces
Anticipate how the system will react
Think about combinations of moves, not just one move ahead
When you can’t work out all the consequences, use heuristics
Evaluate before and after each move

4. The Behaviour Change Wheel
A system for developing behaviour change interventions
Inter-disciplinary - not psychological
Promotes systems thinking
Multi-level: Individual, organisational and population
Synthesis of 19 frameworks
Comprehensive and coherent
Links interventions with models of behaviour
Uses whatever evidence is available, and guides search for evidence
A tool to guide thinking and action - not a rigid prescription

5. What intervention function(s)
What behaviour(s)?
What COM-B target(s)?
APEASE criteria
What intervention function(s)
What policy categories
What Intervention(s)?

6. What behaviour(s)? Choose ones that are: Impactful Changeable
Understood
Sustainable
Do not be side-tracked by ones that are:
Appealing to stakeholders
Unsupportable
Unachievable
Narrow in focus

7. What COM-B target(s)? Do the people one is aiming to influence ..?
Know about the behaviour, and understand why it is important for them and how to do it (C)
Have the psychological and physical make-up needed for the behaviour (C)
Have the time and financial and material resources to enact the behaviour (O)
Have the social or material support required (O)
See the behaviour as normal and commonplace (M)
Have the willingness to prioritise the behaviour and/or can they be led to enact the behaviour without thinking (M)

8. What intervention function(s)?
Capability
Opportunity
Motivation
Education 
Persuasion
Incentives
Coercion
Training
Restriction
Environmental restructuring
Modelling
Enablement

9. What policy categories(s)?
Best when there is a need to
Guidelines
educate and there motivation and ability to comply
Environmental Planning
create or restrict opportunity
Comms and marketing
educate, persuade or trigger action
Legislation
protect safety with sanctions and norms
Service provision
provide support to sustain behaviour change
Regulation
set standards and rules through expectation
Fiscal measures
create financial incentives

10. Evaluation using APEASE
Acceptability
How far is it acceptable to all key stakeholders?
Practicability
Can it be implemented as designed within the intended context, material and human resources?
Effectiveness
How effective and cost-effective is it in achieving desired objectives in the target population?
Affordability
How far can it be afforded when delivered at the scale intended?
Side-effects
How far does it lead to unintended adverse or beneficial outcomes?
Equity
How far does it increase or decrease differences between advantaged and disadvantaged sectors of society?

11. What intervention function(s)
What behaviour(s)?
What COM-B target(s)?
APEASE criteria
What intervention function(s)
What policy categories
What Intervention(s)?

12. MINDSPACE
COM-B and the BCW
Messenger
In education and persuasion, source features will influence their effectiveness.
Incentives
The nature of the incentive or the way it is framed can influence effectiveness.
Norms
In modelling and environmental restructuring, seeing or knowing how others behave influences our actions
Defaults
Create an environment in which certain behaviours occur without conscious effort
Salience
In education and persuasion, novelty and relevance increase our likelihood of paying attention
Priming
Unnoticed cues in the environment can shape our behaviour
Affect
Use of emotional content in persuasion can change behaviour.
Commitments
Making promises can coerce us into complying
Ego
Feeling good about ourselves can be an important behavioural goal.

13. EASY - If a decision requires minimal effort, it is more likely to be the one that is chosen.
This is most relevant to the COM-B Targets: Capability and Opportunity
Harness the power of defaults – making the desired action the default option makes it more likely to be selected
Increase opportunity through environmental restructuring so that the desired behaviour does not require conscious effort
Reduce the hassle factor of taking up a service
Increase opportunity through environmental restructuring so that the desired behaviour is quick and does not require physical, mental or material resources
Simplify messages – making messages clear and concise can increase response rates and engagement
Improve education, training and persuasion by making communication more comprehensible

14. ATTRACTIVE – If something is attractive, we will be drawn to it.
This is most relevant to the COM-B Target: Motivation
Use bold and striking colours and professional imagery
This does not fit very well under the ‘Attractive’ heading. It suggests using imagery to increase salience that may apply to any Intervention Function
If a choice has a financial reward or other incentives, we’ll be drawn to that – and if it captures our attention we’ll be more likely to engage
Use incentivisation and improve its effect by increasing their salience

15. SOCIAL – We are social beings – we care about what our peers are doing, and what they think of us.
This is most relevant to the COM-B Targets: Social Opportunity and Motivation
Show that most people perform the desired behaviour – use social proof to highlight and reinforce participation
This advises on the use of social models to increase the effectiveness of any Intervention Function
Use the power of networks – peer relationships are very important to us, both in person and online
This advises on the use of peer relationships to increase the effectiveness of any Intervention Function
Encourage people to make a commitment to others – commitment devices voluntarily ‘lock ourselves’ into doing something in advance
Use commitment as a form of persuasion and coercion.

16. TIMELY – The time that you choose to prompt or ‘nudge’ someone towards a desired behaviour is vitally important.
This is a feature of a range of interventions that may influence effectiveness
Prompt people when they’re most likely to be receptive – behaviour is easier to change when habits are already disrupted
This is advice on when to deliver a range of interventions
Consider the immediate costs and benefits – we’re more influenced by costs and benefits that take effect immediately
This is advice on how to improve the effect of incentivisation and coercion
Help people plan their response to events – identify the barriers to action and develop a plan to address them
This not appear to relate to the overall heading of Timeliness but is a way of enacting the BCW Intervention Function, Enablement

17. NEAR - AFAR
Promotes behaviour
Prevents
behaviour

18. Normal: We are more likely to do things that we see being done by people with whom we identify
Target social opportunity through the intervention functions of modelling and environmental restructuring
Easy: We are more likely to do things if they are simple, within our capabilities and require little by way of resources, time or effort
Target capability and opportunity through the intervention functions of education, training, restriction, enablement and environmental restructuring
Attractive: We are more likely to do things if we think they will be enjoyable, serve a purpose or avoid something bad happening
Target motivation through the intervention functions of education, persuasion, incentivisation and coercion
Routine: We are more likely to do things if they are part of our routine so we don’t have to think about them
Target automatic motivation through the intervention functions of training and environmental restructuring

19. Abnormal: We are less likely to do things if they are not seen as part of normal behaviour or no-one with whom we identify is doing them
Target social opportunity through environmental restructuring
Fraught: We are less likely to do things if we don’t have the capability or confidence or if barriers are put in the way
Target capability and opportunity through the intervention functions of restriction and environmental restructuring
Appalling: We are less likely to do things that we expect to be unpleasant, or lead to outcomes that we don’t like
Target motivation through the intervention functions of education, persuasion and coercion
Reflective: We are less likely to follow habitual behaviour patterns if we can be led to stop and think to disrupt the routine or automatic flow of behaviour
Target reflective motivation through the intervention functions of education and persuasion, and automatic motivation through training and environmental restructuring

20. Successful behaviour change interventions
Reducing driving speed in built up areas Reducing smoking uptake Increasing smoking cessation Reducing drink-driving Increasing recycling Seat-belt usage Increasing cycling Increasing organ donation

21. Back to chess The BCW and NEAR-AFAR tell you:
what pieces are available
what the pieces can do
how to think strategically
It does not make you a grandmaster!

22. Key points
Changing behaviour requires an in depth understanding of behaviour as part of a complex multi-level system
The BCW promotes the kind of thinking required and provides structured guidance
MINDSPACE and EAST provide useful mnemonics to help develop interventions but are not comprehensive or linked to models of behaviour
NEAR-AFAR may provide a framework for focusing on ‘big picture’ guidance when applying the BCW

23. Resources