Creating confidence

Though it’s something we often feel a lack of when embarking on something new, there are many ways to help people feel confident to start and continue doing a new task or behaviour

Bandura & Menlove (1968). Factors determining vicarious extinction through symbolic modeling. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

We copy the behaviors of others, especially in unfamiliar situations

‘Correct’ decisions or behaviors are dictated by the actions of others, particularly those we’re similar to or aspire to become.

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Guide with the past decisions of others

Others’ actions can give us confidence as to what is ‘right’, especially when uncertain. How can you use the wisdom of informed others as a guiding light?

Risk Aversion

Barsky et al (1997). Preference parameters and behavioral heterogeneity. Quarterly Journal of Economics.

We don’t like uncertainty and generally stick to what we know

When making choices, we tend to avoid new and mysterious alternatives, even when they come with significant benefits.

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Autonomy Bias

Botti & McGill (2011). The locus of choice: Personal causality and satisfaction with hedonic and utilitarian decisions. Journal of Consumer Research.

We have a deep-seated need to control our situations

Feeling power and choice over our future gives us certainty, motivation and lower stress. Autonomy is vital for successful behavior change.

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Offer a small dose of situational control

Feeling a sense of control over our situation can give us great confidence and overcome unease in the face of change. Where can you integrate choices that make people feel like they’ve “got this”?

Framing

Tversky, A., & Kahneman, D. (1981). The framing of decisions and the psychology of choice. Science, 211, 453–458.

We make very different decisions based on how a fact is presented

The same core information can be dramatically reframed through words, numbers and imagery to greatly influence decision-making.

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Reframe small as meaningful

Good or bad, almost every scenario can be reframed. How can you take someone’s efforts, no matter how small, and reframe them to boost confidence and motivation?

Status

Sivanathan & Pettit (2010). Protecting the self through consumption: Status goods as affirmational commodities. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology.

We constantly look for ways to improve how others see us

Research shows that we consume goods and services in part to increase status and gain social advantage, regardless of our income or social standing.

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Highlight new-found status

Acknowledging a person’s position amongst a group can inject new-found confidence. Where can you use status to highlight successful acts that others should follow?

Sunk Cost Bias

Arkes, H. R., & Blumer, C. (1985). The psychology of sunk cost. Organizational behavior and human decision processes, 35(1), 124-140.

We’re unable to let go of our past bad investments, even if it makes sense to do so

When we’ve spent lots of time or money on a project that we now realise is failing, we find it hard to draw the line and cut our losses.

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Aggregation Effect

Lim (2006). Do investors integrate losses and segregate gains? Mental accounting and investor trading decisions. The Journal of Business.

Negative experiences feel less painful overall when they’re bundled together

We have an increasing numbness to losses as they mount, so instead of spreading out small pains over time, overall we feel better when they’re consolidated.

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Package your pains, don't prolong them

Packaging multiple pieces of bad news feels less uncomfortable than drip-feeding it out over time and creating uncertainty. Where can you combine difficult decisions into one major announcement?

Sunk Cost Bias

Arkes, H. R., & Blumer, C. (1985). The psychology of sunk cost. Organizational behavior and human decision processes, 35(1), 124-140.

We’re unable to let go of our past bad investments, even if it makes sense to do so

When we’ve spent lots of time or money on a project that we now realise is failing, we find it hard to draw the line and cut our losses.

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Fresh Start Effect

Dai, H., Milkman, K. L., & Riis, J. (2014). The fresh start effect: Temporal landmarks motivate aspirational behavior. Management Science.

We're more likely to stick to habits made at the start of new time periods

We can motivate ourselves to self-improve by using a time marker (a new week, month, year or event) to wipe the slate clean and focus on being better.

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Commitment

Pallak et al. (1980). Commitment and energy conservation. Applied Social Psychology Annual, Volume 1, 235-253.

Once we’ve made a public statement, we make consistent decisions to support it

Making written or verbal declarations greatly affects our future behavior as we aim to appear rational and avoid being seen as inconsistent by others.

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Overcome bad past investments with a clean, reflective slate

A fresh week, month or year offers a convenient opportunity for perspective-taking and a more rational assessment of work done to date. Letting go is hard, but iterative time segments with built-in pre-commitments around milestones can offer everyone a clean break from the past.

Risk Aversion

Barsky et al (1997). Preference parameters and behavioral heterogeneity. Quarterly Journal of Economics.

6 Box One

We don’t like uncertainty and generally stick to what we know

When making choices, we tend to avoid new and mysterious alternatives, even when they come with significant benefits.

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Default Effect

Johnson, E. J.; Goldstein, D. (2003). Medicine: Do Defaults Save Lives? Science 302 (5649): 1338–1339.

18 Box One

We tend to accept the option pre-chosen for us

As we’re unlikely to deviate from default options presented to us, our decisions can be greatly dictated by the system’s creators.

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Analysis Paralysis

Vohs, Baumeister, Schmeichel, Twenge, Nelson & Tice (2018). Making choices impairs subsequent self-control. Self-Regulation and Self-Control.

9 Box One

Our capacity to process information and make decisions reduces with each made

Each trade-off we make between options quickly depletes our ability to solve problems correctly. We’ll eventually revert to defaults or give up.

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Guide through the new and unfamiliar with predefined choices

When we don’t know what to choose, we look for guidance. Defaults offer a great way to navigate the new. Where can you guide people?

Risk Aversion

Barsky et al (1997). Preference parameters and behavioral heterogeneity. Quarterly Journal of Economics.

6 Box One

We don’t like uncertainty and generally stick to what we know

When making choices, we tend to avoid new and mysterious alternatives, even when they come with significant benefits.

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Foot In The Door

Burger (1999). The foot-in-the-door compliance procedure: A multiple-process analysis and review. Personality and Social Psychology Review.

52 Box Two

Making a small commitment now makes us more likely to agree to a greater one later

A low cost, unthreatening technique that has the power to increase sales, donations and recruitment, as long as you follow a few rules…

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To get them started, begin with a very small task

Giving people a low-risk taster is a great way to test out the new without fear. Where can you provide moments to explore the unfamiliar?

Risk Aversion

Barsky et al (1997). Preference parameters and behavioral heterogeneity. Quarterly Journal of Economics.

6 Box One

We don’t like uncertainty and generally stick to what we know

When making choices, we tend to avoid new and mysterious alternatives, even when they come with significant benefits.

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Fluency Shortcut

Novemsky et al. (2003). Preference fluency and its effects on no-choice, compromise and attraction effects. Association for Consumer Research.

11 Box One

Statements that are easier to understand are more believable

Easy-to-repeat messages, such as the 2016 “Build a wall” political slogan feel more familiar and are likely to be spread by others.

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Metaphorical Shortcut

Chang & Yen (2013). Missing ingredients in metaphor advertising. Journal of Advertising

40 Box Two

New or complex ideas are easier understood through existing ones

If you’re launching something new that’s very different to what’s already out there, a story told through existing knowledge will help bridge the gap.

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Make unfamiliar concepts easy to understand and connect to

Unfamiliar, hard-to-understand concepts will always trigger uncertainty. How can you simplify messaging to ease cognitive processing and therefore familiarity? For particularly-new ideas, how might you use existing metaphors to allow people to easily relate?

Risk Aversion

Barsky et al (1997). Preference parameters and behavioral heterogeneity. Quarterly Journal of Economics.

6 Box One

We don’t like uncertainty and generally stick to what we know

When making choices, we tend to avoid new and mysterious alternatives, even when they come with significant benefits.

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Limited Choice

Chernev, Böckenholt & Goodman (2015). Choice overload: A conceptual review and meta-analysis. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 25(2), 333-358.

10 Box One

We’re more likely to decide when the options are sensibly restricted

Though some choice aids decision-making, too much of it leads to regret, deferral and lower satisfaction.

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Analysis Paralysis

Vohs, Baumeister, Schmeichel, Twenge, Nelson & Tice (2018). Making choices impairs subsequent self-control. Self-Regulation and Self-Control.

9 Box One

Our capacity to process information and make decisions reduces with each made

Each trade-off we make between options quickly depletes our ability to solve problems correctly. We’ll eventually revert to defaults or give up.

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Reduce unnecessary choice for unfamiliar new concepts

Too much choice can overwhelm, but a little choice allows companies to provide consistently for a range of differing tastes. Where can you use choice to provide certainty and therefore familiarity?

Risk Aversion

Barsky et al (1997). Preference parameters and behavioral heterogeneity. Quarterly Journal of Economics.

6 Box One

We don’t like uncertainty and generally stick to what we know

When making choices, we tend to avoid new and mysterious alternatives, even when they come with significant benefits.

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Authority

Bickman, L. (1974). The social power of a uniform. Journal of Applied Social Psychology 4, 47-61.

16 Box One

We have a strong tendency to comply with those in charge

Parent, boss or judge: we trust and accept the decisions of those with relative expertise. However, conformity differs across both culture and age.

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Embrace reassuring Authority in difficult times

Those in control or whom we look up to can provide guidance in uncertain times. How can you use respected role models to do this?

Risk Aversion

Barsky et al (1997). Preference parameters and behavioral heterogeneity. Quarterly Journal of Economics.

6 Box One

We don’t like uncertainty and generally stick to what we know

When making choices, we tend to avoid new and mysterious alternatives, even when they come with significant benefits.

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Social Proof

Bandura & Menlove (1968). Factors determining vicarious extinction through symbolic modeling. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

3 Box One

We copy the behaviors of others, especially in unfamiliar situations

‘Correct’ decisions or behaviors are dictated by the actions of others, particularly those we’re similar to or aspire to become.

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Using the collective wisdom of others to take action

We naturally follow others, especially in unfamiliar situations. How can you use others’ choices to help reduce risk aversion?

Risk Aversion

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Certainty Effect

Guaranteed inferior gains are valued over superior ones that have some risk. When faced with uncertain times, certainty is a feeling that we place a premium on.

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Reduce Risk Aversion with Certainty

The future’s inherently uncertain and we’re always looking for clarity. How can you relieve discomfort by offering a degree of certainty?

Category

Cheat Sheets

Creating confidence

Though it’s something we often feel a lack of when embarking on something new, there are many ways to help people feel confident to start and continue doing a new task or behaviour

Bandura & Menlove (1968). Factors determining vicarious extinction through symbolic modeling. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

3

3

Box One

We copy the behaviors of others, especially in unfamiliar situations

‘Correct’ decisions or behaviors are dictated by the actions of others, particularly those we’re similar to or aspire to become.

+

Guide with the past decisions of others

Barsky et al (1997). Preference parameters and behavioral heterogeneity. Quarterly Journal of Economics.

6

6

Box One

We don’t like uncertainty and generally stick to what we know

When making choices, we tend to avoid new and mysterious alternatives, even when they come with significant benefits.

+

Botti & McGill (2011). The locus of choice: Personal causality and satisfaction with hedonic and utilitarian decisions. Journal of Consumer Research.

23

23

Box One

We have a deep-seated need to control our situations

Feeling power and choice over our future gives us certainty, motivation and lower stress. Autonomy is vital for successful behavior change.

+

Offer a small dose of situational control

Tversky, A., & Kahneman, D. (1981). The framing of decisions and the psychology of choice. Science, 211, 453–458.

7

7

Box One

We make very different decisions based on how a fact is presented

The same core information can be dramatically reframed through words, numbers and imagery to greatly influence decision-making.

+

Reframe small as meaningful

Sivanathan & Pettit (2010). Protecting the self through consumption: Status goods as affirmational commodities. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology.

2

2

Box One

We constantly look for ways to improve how others see us

Research shows that we consume goods and services in part to increase status and gain social advantage, regardless of our income or social standing.

+

Highlight new-found status

Arkes, H. R., & Blumer, C. (1985). The psychology of sunk cost. Organizational behavior and human decision processes, 35(1), 124-140.

36

36

Box One

We’re unable to let go of our past bad investments, even if it makes sense to do so

When we’ve spent lots of time or money on a project that we now realise is failing, we find it hard to draw the line and cut our losses.

+

Lim (2006). Do investors integrate losses and segregate gains? Mental accounting and investor trading decisions. The Journal of Business.

66

66

Box Two

Negative experiences feel less painful overall when they’re bundled together

We have an increasing numbness to losses as they mount, so instead of spreading out small pains over time, overall we feel better when they’re consolidated.

+

Package your pains, don't prolong them

Arkes, H. R., & Blumer, C. (1985). The psychology of sunk cost. Organizational behavior and human decision processes, 35(1), 124-140.

36

36

Box One

We’re unable to let go of our past bad investments, even if it makes sense to do so

When we’ve spent lots of time or money on a project that we now realise is failing, we find it hard to draw the line and cut our losses.

+

Dai, H., Milkman, K. L., & Riis, J. (2014). The fresh start effect: Temporal landmarks motivate aspirational behavior. Management Science.

55

55

Box Two

We're more likely to stick to habits made at the start of new time periods

We can motivate ourselves to self-improve by using a time marker (a new week, month, year or event) to wipe the slate clean and focus on being better.

+

Pallak et al. (1980). Commitment and energy conservation. Applied Social Psychology Annual, Volume 1, 235-253.

22

22

Box One

Once we’ve made a public statement, we make consistent decisions to support it

Making written or verbal declarations greatly affects our future behavior as we aim to appear rational and avoid being seen as inconsistent by others.

+

Overcome bad past investments with a clean, reflective slate