What is the behaviour change cycle?

The behaviour change cycle is one of the key theories on which the Tool is based.   In 1982, James Prochaska and Carlo DiClemente developed a useful model describing how people change.  When the WWF and CAG Consultants Ltd were developing the Change! Tool, we found that this model was helpful in evaluating behaviour change towards sustainable lifestyles.

Their model is based on a cycle of behaviour change which has some key steps on it. These steps include;

• Pre-contemplation – a person has not yet decided that the change you are proposing is relevant to them.
• Contemplation - something happens to prompt a person to start thinking about a possible change, but they are still not committed to that change.
• Action - a person begins to plan a change.  They may be learning new skills and finding out information.
• Maintenance - the change has been integrated into the person's life, it is lasting and well practised.  At this point we exit the cycle entirely, or we may go into:
• Lapse or relapse - either temporary or permanent reversion to the pre-change behaviour.

You will see that the Change! Tool behaviour change process does not ask people to count things like how many miles they drive or how many cans they recycle; instead the Tool focuses on measuring where participants are on a cycle of behaviour change. Using the Change! Tool will enable you to see how far people have travelled along their journey.