Understanding Consumer Behavior and Habits through Frameworks for Change

by Sasha McCune, Director at Conifer Research

Change. It’s what’s for breakfast. You, me, and everyone else in the entire world are currently part of the largest and longest deprivation research experiment that has ever been run, forcing change and change management at every turn. From how we order our groceries to how we carve out a new way to work, we are reminded of an age-old lesson: Change is one of the few constants on which to rely.

Yet something feels quite different about this moment of change. It is not simply the scope and scale of the pandemic, the lockdowns, and the shift to remote living and working. It’s also about our visibility into the global scale of change, and into how others are adapting dynamically. Individuals, companies, and communities, both large and small, are grappling with change. They are altering their responses, facing resistance, tweaking reactions, and evaluating results.

With change being omnipresent, maintaining flexibility is the critical ingredient moving forward. But total flexibility is a difficult place from which to create and test new hypotheses. As a group of cultural anthropologists and design researchers who are endlessly curious about human behavior and habits, we have curated here a list of some of the best frameworks to leverage for understanding change from different perspectives.

Change at 30,000 feet: Frameworks with a macro lens

A big picture view of behavioral change is a good place to start.

We can thank Thomas Kuhn for postulating that a scientific revolution occurs when a new paradigm can better explain the observations and yield a model closer to the current objective reality. There have to be markers to understand if certain experiences are truly undergoing a full paradigm shift. For example, customers may begin to diverge in the way they access products (e.g., shifting from mobile versus desktop shopping behaviors), but understanding if this is a true full paradigm shift in consumer behavior requires deeper observation.

Kuhn’s Cycle is a paradigm shift framework that can be tremendously helpful in identifying where shifting, emergent, or divergent behaviors and mindsets are on the journey from the status quo to a fully realized paradigm shift. The Satir Change Model was developed in the 1970s by Virginia Satir. Leveraging it in our work asks us to explore how groups react to change in the process of moving from an established norm to the development of a “new normal”.

Born from a group point of view, this framework is suited for problems at a workplace or large-scale system level, such as business or product changes. This framework reminds us that we can’t escape the inevitable moments of resistance and chaos before we see integration and normalization.

Change at ground level: Frameworks with a micro lens

Seeing behavioral change through the lens of a microscope.

One of our most loved frameworks, The Habit Loop, helps us isolate the “neurological loop that governs any habit”. By better understanding the three core elements that drive habit formation: the cue (or trigger), the routine, and the reward we can isolate the potential levers for behavioral change and intervention.

The Fogg Behavior Model was developed by Dr. B.J. Fogg. This model was based on the idea that three elements must converge at the same time in order for a behavior change to succeed: Motivation, Ability, and a Prompt.

In his best-selling book, Atomic Habits, author James Clear explores the concept of “habit stacking”. Instead of attempting to reach a big goal in a silo, this methodology encourages the linking of small, simple habits to trigger a desired action.

The stickiness of change: Understanding adoption

When looking at the progression of uptake, it’s also useful to consider key nuances within change.

Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) Theory was developed by E.M. Rogers in 1962 and continues to help teams identify different behaviors among the general population in the rate of adoption for new innovations. This framework is helpful when examining why new behavioral interventions might or might not succeed.

A flexible approach to change

The important thing to remember with all of these frameworks is that they are just that: frameworks. They can help spark new ways of thinking and perceiving the situations faced, as well as help with monitoring and gauging changes in customer behavior.

There can be no doubt that more change is coming. Again, whether considering your own needs, those of your company, or the clients you serve, it’s crucial to have an open mindset about change and explore various models.

Why engaging with change matters

As we continue to encounter behavioral change and evaluate the formation of new habits, companies need answers about how prospective or long-term clients are perceiving, resisting, or embracing change. The human experience of change is nuanced, complex, and emotional. Frameworks are a way to bring logic, practical application, and actionable steps to inform effective strategies.