The New Forest Behavioural Toolkit - For heritage, landscape and nature conservation practitioners
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The New Forest Behavioural Toolkit For heritage, landscape and nature conservation practitioners Written by Dr Rachel Lilley and Mike King In partnership with:
In recent years behavioural science has been offering
valuable insights and research to help us deal with the
complex topic of humans and how we behave.
In efforts to protect the New Forest we have often acted
as if everyone is the same, as if rules and regulations are
the only option. Behaviour is influenced by many forces.
Some are quite easy to try...
2
Most effective approaches
to behaviour change take
a five stage journey: 1
Choose the
Define the behaviour
you want to change
destination
5 2
Tweak
intervention
Revise the
route and
The Map the
landscape
Research
behaviour
and roll out
again
repeat
Behaviour and audience
in detail
Change
Journey
Evaluate the
4 3
Design and
Determine how Test one or more
interventions far you have test the interventions
travelled route
3
Why do we need a behavioural
toolkit?
As populations have increased and lifestyles have
changed, user impacts on the New Forest have also
grown and changed. Information provision, laws
and enforcement have clearly been insufficient to
meet these changes.
Policy and changemakers worldwide have begun
to change the way they approach human decision-
making and behaviour. This transformation is
often referred to as Behavioural Policy or applied
behavioural insights. It has revolutionised many
areas of policy and the design of behavioural
interventions in the public sector – from reducing
energy use to increasing pension saving, from Commoners’ livestock have right of way on the roads
© Russell Sach
getting patients to drink more in hospital, to
improving organ donation.
What is behaviour change?
The New Forest is faced with a number of
There has been a shift in understanding about how we
behavioural challenges. A National Lottery
decide and behave. Our decisions and behaviours are
Heritage Fund project called the ‘Our Past,
subject to many influences, in addition to rules, messages,
Our Future’ Landscape Partnership (OPOF)
and incentives; by how we feel, our relationships with
set out to investigate new approaches.
others and the physical and social context. We use mental
This toolkit shares the lessons learnt and
short-cuts to help us take everyday decisions. Policy
guides future behavioural work.
interventions are often designed on the basis that we all
see the world in the same way, but analysis shows us that
isn’t the case. The table overleaf gives some insight into
what behaviour change policy is, and what it isn’t.1
1
Adapted from: OECD (2019), Tools and Ethics for Applied
Raising driver awareness Behavioural Insights: The BASIC Toolkit, OECD Publishing, Paris,
of animal road casualties https://doi.org/10.1787/9ea76a8f-en. Pg.19
4
What behaviour What behaviour
change IS change IS NOT Stage 1 Choose the destination:
A problem-solving A silver bulletIt does not Define the behaviour you want to
methodIt helps behavioural solve all difficult challenges. change
issues to be better Some policy issues may
understood, taking into benefit more from traditional Most people will start with a general problem without
account factors traditional approaches. a clear idea of the behaviours involved. Spend time
approaches might ignore. deciding exactly which problems you are targeting.
ExperimentalIt StandardReplicating what In the New Forest OPOF project two issues we wanted to
encourages a culture works in one situation does address were:
of experimentation, not guarantee success in
• Reducing the number of road accidents involving
empirically testing solutions another as context matters.
New Forest animals
and disseminating results
which enable an iterative • Reducing the number of animal feeding and
approach to making petting incidents, both to reduce animal illness and
improvements. aggression towards people.
BroadIt goes beyond ExclusiveIt is not limited Our first step was to define the behaviours we were
’nudges’ or small policy to behavioural experts going to target. How do we do that? People often start
tweaks. It informs the but should bring together with assumptions which prove to be incorrect.
design of a wide range of knowledge from a diverse
interventions. range of experts. Some assumptions people had about the problems were:
ValuableIt should be Judgemental It does not • Drivers in the New Forest don’t care about the
considered every time you mean that humans are Forest or the animals. Accidents are due to careless
are designing or evaluating fundamentally irrational driving and ‘boy racers’.
a project or intervention. or harmful, but that using
Even in cases where you behavioural insights can help • It is mainly people who are not from the Forest who
may not be able to run a achieve a goal. cause accidents.
full experiment.
• It is mainly tourists who feed and pet our animals,
they don’t read the signs and they don’t care.
5
How do you find out what is Road accidents
really happening? First we researched the Accidents happened more
problem and looked at the on main commuter roads
How do you challenge these assumptions and find
accidents in more detail than other roads. We
out what is really happening?
to see if there were any had missed a very basic
Investigate the problem by asking: patterns. We noticed more fact, more cars meant
accidents happened on more accidents. Accidents
• What exactly is happening? commuter roads at specific increased in the autumn
• When? How? Where? times. when evenings got darker,
aggravated by the clock
Talk and listen to as many people as you can: We eventually realised that being put back, and are
our animal accidents rates low in the summer (tourist)
• People you meet reflected national (and months.
global) trends in accident
• Specific people, through interviews
rates, notably the autumn This helped us to define
• A set of people using surveys. clock-change.We organised the behaviour we wanted
with several local employers to change from the current
How do they see the problem? What’s happening to go and listen to habituated and over-
from their perspective? It can be helpful to use an employees talking about confident driving across the
empathy map (see resources section at the back for their commuting across the New Forest to more careful
website). Forest. driving amongst commuters,
Whatever you start out thinking about the problem, especially during the
assume it is wrong and be prepared to see it in from autumn and winter.
many different angles.
6
Petting and feeding
First we researched the The insights gathered through This would be achieved by: • Improving understanding
problem: this helped our understanding. of, and the relationship
• Targeting specific between, locals and tourists
• We spent time in local • Some people believe the misunderstandings, for
honeypot sites asking people with commoners and
animals are ‘wild’ and need example, that the animals commoning.
a few questions about feeding or petting. are wild when they are in
feeding and petting the fact owned. • Improving the visibility and
ponies and donkeys. • Tourists are often scared of profile of commoning in
the animals and do not like • Addressing confusing mixed general.
• We asked others who might petting and feeding them. messaging such as images
have seen feeding and of people petting ponies on • Making the harms of feeding
petting in the Forest, such as • People who live in or near some promotional leaflets. and risks of petting more
New Forest rangers. the Forest are more likely to salient; that it is ‘cruel not
feed and pet; they believe kind’.
• We spent time observing they know what they’re
in the places where it doing. For some people this
happened. is a special part of living
• We talked to people in the forest, an activity
wherever we could such they do with children and
as shop keepers, and local grandchildren.
people. • The small number of donkeys
• We gathered information in the New Forest are
from newspapers, leaflets, particularly appealing for
social media and looking petting.
at how animals were being This helped us define the
represented. behaviour we wanted to
change – observed feeding
and petting of the ponies and
donkeys by local people – to
no feeding and petting.
Leaflets on grazing animals used early on in the project
7
Individual elements
• Valuing connection with nature
Stage 2 Map the landscape: Research and animals
behaviour and audience in detail • Living for the moment; a selfie,
fear of missing out
Stage one involved defining the behaviour, including identifying
audiences. Stage two involves going a little deeper, how deep • Wanting to get to work on time
depends on the size of the project, the budget and the time • Over-confidence in situations
available. Less money may need more creativity, whilst a well- we face every day
resourced project might employ professional researchers.
Information can be sourced in many ways, through desk research,
surveys, observation and talking to people. Use LEAD to guide you: Social
• Listen to people (more in depth interviews, focus groups, • Group activities: Enjoyable;
record casual conversations) Something we do together
• Experience the system (put yourself in their shoes; • Social norms: Cues from what
experience the process; observe the target audience in action) other people do, or appear to do
• Ask questions (quantitative surveys and questionnaires) • Identity: activities help us feel
part of something ‘traditional’
• Explore the data (what do trends/differences say?)*
Material
Behaviour change • Facilities may not support positive
behaviour, eg. car parks or shops
There are a number of behaviour change frameworks designed to
selling carrots facilitate behaviour
help you think through a behaviour. We have included an example
of one of these frameworks in the resources section and some links • Information overload: Too much
to others you might like to explore. A framework, such as the ISM or too complex signage becomes
on the opposite page, can help you consider the multiple factors overwhelming
which contribute to the behaviour including environmental, social • Feeding and petting are low-cost
and individual. It is surprising how many factors can contribute to a leisure activities
problem behaviour.
• Driving fast saves time
* Using Behavioural Insights to Reduce Recreation Impacts on Wildlife: Guidance
& Case Studies from Thames Basin Heaths and the Solent (NECR329)
8
Caring for New Forest Ponies
The aggressive headlines
In stage one the project went • Regular commuters were dominate. The explanation
some way towards defining over confident about of ‘why’ is lost. More
the problems more clearly. their ability to predict the positive alternatives are
We challenged a number of behaviour of grazing animals usually more engaging.
existing assumptions that were beside the road.
listed on page 7 such as:
• Very few local people,
• It was tourists feeding and surprisingly, had any idea It is not
petting animals. about the habits and attractive. We
ownership of the animals, are more likely It directly counters people’s
Information has been used in but they cared and were to look at things lived experience, their own
the past to change people’s keen to learn more about if they are historical behaviour and what
petting behaviours such as the striking. Good they have seen others doing.
commoning. design matters.
poster shown here that was
designed to change people’s • Most commuters (incorrectly)
behaviour through knowledge. believe straight roads are
safer than bendy ones”
In stage two we ran some
more in-depth research and Petting and Feeding
were surprised with some of Information overload.
the results: • People don’t intend to harm Attention is limited,
the animals; they feed them there is too much
writing here. Clear
thinking it’s a good thing to do.
Driving and simple messages
• Feeding and petting ponies are more effective
• Commuters obviously did and donkeys is seen as an
care about the animals and important part of people’s
the Forest and they really • The animals are viewed as • People did not understand
experience of connecting part of the visitor experience, or know much about the
appreciated their daily with nature, living in, or
drive. This countered the provided by the New Forest, commoners’ lives. They were
visiting, the forest. not as part of the area’s either seen slightly negatively
assumption that people
didn’t care. ecology or as the property of (as NIMBYs or killjoys), or as
anyone in particular. invisible.
9
EAST is a simple framework
Stage 3 Design and test the route: Test The four principles to make clear messaging are:
one or more interventions Easy
Stage three involves designing and testing interventions. Make the message or desired behaviour
You can use the behaviour change models listed in the simple. Avoid complexity. An image is
resources section to help you do this. One framework we think often better than words. Are we making
doing the right thing the easiest option?
is really simple and helpful is the EAST Model.
What is the default choice?
Ask yourself; if you applied the EAST principles to
your intervention what would it look like? Would you Attractive
design it differently? People are more likely to respond to
For more information on EAST download the full guide here. appealing messages. How can we make
Forest-friendly behaviour the most
attractive option, even fun?
Social
What do others do (or should do)? Use the
power of social norms, group behaviours,
or identities to spread positive behaviours
or reduce harmful ones. What do most
people, people like me, do?
Timely
Often good messages are given at the wrong
time. Prompt people when the information
is most relevant to their decisions. Do they
make a plan before leaving home, or take a
New seasonal
decision in the moment?
poster following
EAST framework
10Applying EAST This sticker, used on vehicles, is:
One insight was that more to the standard 40mph limit
EASY to understand, an ATTRACTIVE: A simple and
accidents happen in autumn added only three minutes to image and only a few striking design. The rosette
as the nights draw in, starting their journey across the Forest. carefully picked words. It is offers an ‘accreditation’
with the clock change. free, as is group and business message businesses are
Our interviews revealed The #add3minutes slogan was membership of the scheme. encouraged to use in marketing.
that commuters hugely born – directly addressing the
overestimated the impact of frustration experienced when
very small delays, perhaps due drivers slow around livestock,
to a driver in front driving in terms that matter to them.
slowly. A local journalist Car stickers were used to build
found that driving at 30mph new social norms stating ‘I go
on a busy commuter route slow for ponies’, high profile
compared local businesses added the
stickers to their fleets.
I GO SLOW FOR PONIES
TIMELY: It can be stuck onto
vehicles so people will see it at
SOCIAL: It is about creating social the most relevant time, when
norms and cultures. Some of the they’re driving. If their speed
highest profile local businesses is being limited by a carefully
with vehicle fleets were targeted driven vehicle in front, the sticker
initially, helping build a social explains why. Campaign partners
norm and create an element of developed a communications
competition (fear of missing out). calendar, prioritising the use of
hashtags when most appropriate.
The ‘new’ campaigns are not the last word. This is an ongoing
Old poster on animal casualties New winter road signs process of testing and adapting. None are perfect – yet!
11The #add3minutes campaign is:
• Easy: The action is simple, • Social: Of the few words • Timely: This campaign runs unavoidable ‘fact of life’.
add three minutes to your in the post the hashtag is only in the seasons when Data show people are slow to
journey to look after the prominent, and is widely accidents peak, avoiding adapt to changing daylight
animals. Commuters can used by all partners and the risk that people become conditions when the clock
plan their regular journey supporters to build a numb to it or overestimate changes; a timely nudge
ahead. The poster is easy ‘social norm’ of concern. the scale of accidents to accelerates this adaptation.
to read, using images to The slogan is intentionally the point they become an
communicate what it is cryptic, making people
about, with minimum think about the meaning.
words. In the second winter
the wording on the road
signs (shown on page 18)
was improved by making it
reflective.
• Attractive: Appealing to
the driver’s self-interest to
avoid an accident and to
care for the livestock. The
message of appropriate
behaviour is prominent. To
most people three minutes
is not a big sacrifice. The
The “effigies” campaign – we used host organisations,
campaign communicated giving this campaign a clear social element
the increased pleasure of
an extra three minutes on This campaign was to different community sites.
a journey that commuters supplemented with the use Seasonal use, displaying
reported enjoying. of a set of wooden effigies numbers, and regularly moving
depicting each type of New them were all tactics aimed
Forest livestock, signed with at gaining attention when it
the number of deaths the matters most.
Challenging over-confidence preceding year and moved
12In this example the message was delivered in a very different way Stage 4 Determine how
using the EAST framework and the results of our research:
far you have travelled:
EASY: The first poster is not easy to read, ATTRACTIVE: As well as being Evaluate the interventions
the message of “control” is lost. The better designed, the second
second poster uses dog walkers’ own poster is more attractive, with Understanding how your behaviour change
words to gain attention. The desired positive advice on how to ‘get to intervention is progressing, and capturing
behaviour is much more practical. safety’ in a dangerous situation. the learning, is a vital part of the journey.
This will help to refine the interventions
going forward.
This stage is designed to help evaluators
systematically assess the project and
interventions:
• Have you identified the right
behaviour/s and the correct audience/s?
• Have you successfully diagnosed
barriers (social, environmental,
psychological) to adopting a desired
behaviour?
• Design and implement an appropriate
behaviour change pilot to test the
intervention;
• Monitor and evaluate behaviour change
to ensure mid-course corrections are
TIMELY: The desired action is one of SOCIAL: The message uses the ‘so you
advance preparation; remembering to think you know the New Forest?’, made and project design improved.
take a dog lead, look ahead for cattle appealing to the identity of being a
and vary your route. This communication ‘local’ (the vast majority of dog walkers),
is therefore not a physical poster, but for also using the #KeepYourDistance
use online reaching people at home. hashtag already in extensive use.
13Stage 5 Revise the route and repeat: Revise and re-run
Tweak intervention and roll out again Once the campaign materials of our earlier findings had
for the driving initiative been right, the focus on
Once you have run your test intervention and evaluated it,
had been developed they time in #add3minutes was
you can make adaptations.
were tested and evaluated. less salient to young drivers.
Findings from research were For them concerns for
incorporated into a question damage to their cars and
and answer leaflet, which increases in their insurance
was then ‘road-tested’ at premium may dominate
local events. behavioural decisions and
Visiting a local college we this was incorporated into
found that, whilst many future materials.
Challenging Quiz: Making
assumptions information social
on feeding
14The stages of effective behaviour change
Stage
Stage 1 Choose the Stage 2 Map the landscape: Research Stage 3 Design and test Stage 4 Determine how Stage 5 Revise the route and
destination: Define the the behaviour and audience in detail the route: Test one or more far you have travelled: repeat: Tweak intervention
behaviour you want to interventions Evaluate the interventions and roll out again
change
What you are doing
• Do initial research Gather evidence that challenges • Set realistic goals Capture learning by Based on evaluation, tweak
• Be specific assumptions about behaviour through: developing an evaluation and adjust your intervention
• Target your audience framework that includes: and roll it out again.
•T hink of the • Listening to people (interviews, focus
audience, see the groups) • Know available resources; • Monitoring progress • Continue to reflect on
behaviour from their • Experiencing the system (put yourself time, money, expertise, what is working and what
perspective in their shoes) support • Understanding impact, needs refinement – a
• Asking questions (quantitative including the drivers and continuous process
• Decide on intervention(s) barriers to making this
surveys and questionnaires) based on research and happen • Take time to design and
• Exploring the data (what does it tell resources test improvements
us?) • Reflecting on, and
• Using behaviour change frameworks • Monitor progress recording lessons learnt • Return to earlier stages
listed in the resources section overleaf and fill in gaps identified
in the research
• Adjust intervention and
try again, if appropriate
scale it up
& outputs
Achievements
• Process to find • Move from assumptions and • Test intervention(s) • Quantitative and • Intervention adapted
behaviour anecdotes to more factual evidence- designed based on qualitative evidence of based on evaluation and
• Process to find based understanding of the behaviour research from Stages 1 behaviours changed research
audience and 2
• Increased understanding of when/ • Improvements identified • Evidence of behaviours
where/ how the behaviour happens shifting
• Identify a number of potential
interventions
indicators
Progress
• Identified correct • List of barriers and incentives • An active intervention • An initial evaluation which • Achievements listed plus
audience • Literature and similar projects with evaluation methods can be used to inform any additional unexpected
• Identified specific reviewed in place adaptation outcomes which help
behaviour develop/inform the project
• Behavioural determinants identified,
eg. social norms, messengers,
infrastructure etc.
15Behaviour Change
Models
ISM model (page 13)
Video: Using the ISM model
The East framework (page 17)
Video: Using the EAST framework
The Mindspace framework
Fehr’s Behavioural Change Matrix
The COM-B Model
Video: Com-B Model
Tools and Ethics for Applied Behavioural
Insights: The BASIC Toolkit
Empathy Maps: Useful for helping you think
about your audience. Google ‘empathy map’
and get lots of templates. Or try: mindtools.
com/pages/article/empathy-mapping.htm
Promoting persuasion in protected areas
General resources
Behavioural Insights Team – lots of examples Written by Dr Rachel Lilley and Mike King
of behaviour change projects developed and
delivered by the team.
UCL – Centre for behaviour change, include
lots of resources.
Behaviour Economics Guide, a free guide In partnership with:
produced every year with lots of interesting
articles.
Inudgeyou, interesting case studies and
information.
NPA 01097. March 2021. © Crown copyright.You can also read
