Jenn Cross highlights three ways that common sense leads us astray:
Myth 1: Education will change behavior.
Myth 2: You need to change attitudes to change behavior.
Myth 3: People know what motivates them to take action.
Myth 1: Education will change behavior.
Most people think that if people just know about an issue, they’ll change. But knowing is not enough, says Cross. HOW we present information matters greatly. She says, for example, that the message has to be tangible and personalized.
Myth 2: You need to change attitudes to change behavior.
Cross notes that attitudes actually FOLLOW behavior. She says that if we survey people about attitudes, it won’t accurately predict behavior. Thus it’s important to set behavioral expectations and connect them to values that resonate with our audience(s).
Myth 3: People know what motivates them to take action.
Cross says that we think we know what motivates us, but we don’t really know. She notes that one of the greatest motivators is social norms. If we see someone doing something, we’re more likely to do it too.
