Week 12

Question 1

transtheoretical model of health behaviour change (TTM)

Answer 1

A change model that is based on a time or temporal dimension using well established psychological theories of behavior change.

Question 2

List all of the Stages of the TTM and explain them

6 stages

Answer 2

Pre-contemplation:
* No intention on changing behavior
* Not even thinking about doing it yet

Contemplation:
* Aware a problem exists but you have no commitment to action

Preperation:
* Intent on taking action to address the problem

Action:
* Actively modifying the behavior

Maintenance:
* Sustained change, the new behaviors you learned are replacing the old ones

Relapse:
* Fall back into the old pattern of behavior

Question 3

Self efficacy and change

Answer 3

Whether you believe you can, or believe you can’t, you’re probably right
* Meaning you need to need/want to change in order to change

Question 4

exercise addiction

Answer 4

when somebody has lost control and exercise becomes an obligation (prevents you from seeing friends, getting things done etc.)

Question 5

primary vs secondary disorder (differences between men and women)

Answer 5

men will experience exercise addiction as a primary disorder and women tend to experience exercise addiction as a secondary disorder (eg. you have bulimia and an exercise addiction, then exercise addiction tends to be the secondary disorder)

Question 6

Law of Attrition

what is it? what are the phases

Answer 6

The law of attrition is a model that explains how in every e-health trial a ton of people are going to quit

Phase #1: Curiosity Phase
* people will stay and try it out

Phase #2: Attrition
* Rejection phase - people realize that they don’t care that much and they quit

Phase #3: Stable use phase
* People who decided to stick to the intervention

Question 7

the Nudge Theory (Thaler and Sunstein)

Answer 7

• theory about how to make better decisions
• A nudge is any aspect of the choice architecture that alters people’s behavior in a predictable way without forbidding any options or significantly changing their economic incentives.
• eg. putting fruit at eye level is a nudge

Question 8

Present bias

Answer 8

a preference for a payout close to the present time rather than in the future
Incentive given immediately when goal achieved

Question 9

Loss Aversion

Answer 9

Preference to avoid losing something than acquiring an equal gain

Question 10

Herd Behaviour

Answer 10

People do what others are doing instead of making independent decisions

Question 11

By offering digital incentives instantaneously Carrot Rewards drove incentive cost down (to pennies a day) by exploiting two behavioural eco- nomics concepts in particular:

Answer 11

• the human tendency to prefer payoffs close to the present time (“present bias”) and
• the tendency for people to equate larger numbers (i.e. the points used in this case) with greater value (“numerosity”).

Question 12

Why did the carrot app fail?

Answer 12

This app failed because people used it too much and they couldn’t afford to sustain it.

So many people loved the extrinsic motivation to exercise, because they don’t have intrinsic motivation

Question 13

7 Ways to motivate yourself

Answer 13

1. Forget how good it is for your health - Do it because you like it
2. Pick something you like
3. Make it non-negotiable
4. Make it social
5. Add some competition
6. Track what you do
7. Put money on the line