If you want to design for behavior change, the books I'll recommend will look slightly different than what you often see. Here's why: I'll start with a short story.
Years ago, I was asked during a job interview
"Say you wanted to change the behavior of everyone in the world…what would your go-to behavior change theory or framework be?" I chuckled, admiring the trick question, then answered swiftly: "First, I don't change behavior. I help people change their behavior. Second, there isn't one".
I got the job ;) But I often wonder, how many people would have replied with "COM-B," "SDT," or "The Transtheoretical Model"? If you're thinking, "Me...", that's OK! But, I do have some tips for you: (1) To be a successful behavioral designer, your toolbox should be full.
You must know how and when to use each tool, depending on the problem you're trying to solve and who you want to help. This means deeply understanding and relying on more than a single theory, framework, or that beautiful, flashy meme of cognitive biases and heuristics you bookmarked...sorry, I said it! (2) Doing this ^^ well takes years of training and practice. Don't rush it (and consider formal academic training).
Take time to broaden your knowledge base..study many different theories and paradigms from social, cognitive, personality, and health psychology, behavioral economics, anthropology, sociology, behavioral neuroscience, and more. It will allow you to better understand the depths and complexities of human behavior from a (deep breath...) global, political, societal, cultural, organizational, community, interpersonal, and intrapersonal lens. (3) Lastly, understand and accept that *you* don't, and will never, change behavior. Unless you've figured out a way to control someone's motor cortex, in which we have bigger problems.
Rather, you will design, test, and scale interventions that primarily target latent (unobservable) constructs that influence behavior. While only a small glimpse into my library, each book below provided me with critical foundational knowledge I couldn't succeed without. Some I have continued to treasure for 15 years.
I love and recommend many *incredible, game-changing* books that aren't pictured here. But, what I've found is that in order to best utilize those books and frameworks, behavioral designers must first have a solid foundation of knowledge only obtained by studying the basics. Hard stop.
I'll end my lengthy post with this: The social and behavioral sciences are a magical place to learn and grow. There is always something new to discover, but don't lose sight of crucial foundational knowledge that will be fundamental to your success. #behavioralscience #behavioraldesign #behaviorchange #productdesign