Breaking the Addiction: Behavioural Insights and Effective Interventions for Quitting Smoking

Problem definition

The problematic behaviour that I have targeted during the course "Consumer Insights" is smoking. I am a former smoker and have grown up in a smoking household, with many friends who smoke, want to stop, or have successfully quit.

Smoking typically occurs in a variety of settings, such as homes, workplaces, cars, and public spaces, as well as in social settings, such as bars, clubs, and restaurants. Some people smoke alone, while others may smoke with others as a social activity.

To stop this problematic behaviour and implement a positive intervention, it is important to change attitudes and behaviours towards smoking, reflect on the triggers and motivators that make one want to smoke, and have a defined list of reasons to stop. Additionally, the key to success is finding valid alternatives to replace the negative behaviour. Factors such as the lack of effective coping mechanisms, social pressure, and addiction make it difficult to quit smoking for good.

Target Group

The target group for this project are individuals who are motivated to stop smoking and willing to identify their triggers and develop strategies to fight cravings.

Behavioural insights gained through the initial phase of this course

In the initial phase of this project, I used worksheets from the "The Behaviour Change Wheel" to effectively frame the problem and understand different levels of behaviour.

Through Worksheet 1, I was able to identify the triggers and motivators that stimulate a person to smoke, along with valid reasons to stop, the necessary steps for behavioural change, and the reasons why quitting is so difficult. Through Worksheet 2, I was able to identify and analyse the target behaviours that are key to stopping smoking and match them with the expected impact it would have on the person. I also used the COM-B model to dive deeper into the different aspects of triggers and responses in relation to the behaviour. I found it particularly interesting to see the parallelism between the COM-B model and the habit cycle. I leveraged this by reflecting on which aspects of the models were related to the target behaviours and by reflecting on what needs to happen to trigger behavioural change. Understanding personal motivators for each person is key to understanding how to strategise for effective behavioural interventions.

A detailed overview of this process is available in my portfolio.

Methodology

The methodology I used for this project includes tools from the book "The Behaviour Change Wheel", the habit cycle, reflecting and journaling on my own triggers and reasons to stop smoking, researching basic information about quitting smoking online, and analysing smokers' responses to in-depth interviews to understand their behaviour and attitudes towards smoking.

Conclusion

Overall, this project provided valuable insights and understanding of the complexities of smoking behaviour and the potential strategies for successful cessation.

References

Susan Michie, L. A. (2014). The Behaviour Change Wheel. London: Silverback Publishing.

Clear, J. (2023). How To Start New Habits That Actually Stick. Retrieved from James Clear.com: https://jamesclear.com/three-steps-habit-change#:~:text=All%20habits%20proceed%20through%20four,the%20same%20order%20each%20time.