Here are 6 truths about Behavioral Science....
Feel free to add any that you think may apply, or challenge the ones there :)
Truth 1: Behavioral Science is not about manipulation We are not in the business of manipulation, we are in the business of helping people make progress and work to get better outcomes.
We do this by understanding the context of the person, and the environment and then working on eliminating barriers or enhancing enablers so they can make that progress.
Truth 2: You can't just learn biases and nudges and apply them to anything
This is just not going to work for your customers or employees, because there are many things at play. Learning biases and nudges in a lab or from a list vs in the wild is not the same.
It does not mean you can't use nudges sometimes, but they are a small part of the last area of your implementation tactics, and you need to test them to see if they will even work.
Truth 3: We are not irrational
We are contextual and that may cause us to act as if we were irrational, but that has more to do with the environment and situations than us actually being by default "irrational".
Truth 4: Not Everything is or can be made a Habit
Habits are only going to build if your brain thinks they will be rewarding enough and if they aren't competing in your hierarchy of behaviors.
What most people think are habits are most likely routines, because if you are thinking about it, then it's not automatic and hence it's probably a routine instead - routines are great but don't buy the habit hype, as they will require work and planning.
Truth 5: Behavioral Science can't solve everything
Mixed methods (that include behavioral science) are the key to creating real change and great experiences.
Behavioral Science is used to be more precise on what influences behavior and lets us get to the root cause, but it needs to be integrated together with other disciplines.
Truth 6: Behavioral Science isn't hard to integrate into your work
What is hard is to take the time upfront to do the initial work of framing the problem and learning new mental models.
This is done so you are able to understand the context and specify the target behavior and drivers, but it is no different from doing other design and innovation work and using the scientific method.
You don't have to learn every single theory, model, and framework, but you do have to learn the fundamentals, which include being evidence-based and systematic.
These observations are based on my conversations with innovation, design, and change professionals as well as from the work I do with clients integrating behavioral science into their current work.