Summary communication theory

Communication theory
Communication & behaviour change.

Lecture 1 Introduction & Campaign planning
Target groups  you can target the groups yourself (specific age group)
Public group  of a specific religion (not something you choose, but you need to target it in the end)

Campaign = a planned sequence (expose people multiple times to your message) of communications
and interactions (push and pull communication) that uses a compelling narrative (storytelling) over
time to deliver a defined and measurable outcome.

Communication and behaviour change
 Behaviour change is a complex area
 Little is known about what makes communication campaigns effective  trial and error
 Campaign practice is not very evidence based  we just do something
 Communication is often aimed at people who are able to make rational decisions

What part of our behaviour is governed by rational thinking?
 Neuroscientists say: The white page, this tiny piece
 The rest of the white paper is emotional thinking
 In campaigns you use mostly emotional thinking, above rational thinking

Sustainability themes
 A large social need to enhance sustainable behaviour
 A lot of money is being deployed, to try to change behaviour (via mass-communication)
 Knowledge about effective campaigns is minimal:
- “Everything on a 1 A4, or else they will not read it”
- “We need to become a brand”
 Lack on insights from theory in the campaign practice
 Communication too often targeted at people that make rational decisions based on
information and arguments

Theories
 Behavioural Economics – the effects of psychological, cognitive, emotional, cultural and
social factors on the economic decisions of individuals and institutions
 Social Psychology – how other people’s presence, especially within a group, can influence
our intentions, attitudes, motivations and behaviour
 Social Marketing Communication – marketing principles aimed at changing behaviour

Behavioural change campaigns
 Peeing in Amsterdam (you can go to the toilet for free or get a fine of 140 euros)
-Primary goal: behaviour change
-Secondary goal: attitude change
 Media advocacy campaigns
-Primary goal: to change public policy rather than individual behaviour
-Secondary goal: to reach opinion leaders and policy makers




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,Donovan and Henley
Messages and selection processes:
1. Selective exposure (attention) – people often pay attention to campaign messages that have
a personal relevance to them, or with which they already agree
2. Selective perception – when exposed information that is not in agreement with their
attitudes, people tend to reinterpret this information (er wordt gefloten in een
voetbalwedstrijd en jij vat het op voor welk team jij bent)
3. Selective retention – when information not in agreement with their attitudes is committed
to memory, it is often recalled in a more favourable towards pre-existing attitudes and
beliefs

Campaign plan  the OASIS framework
Objectives
Audience insights
Strategy/idea
Implementation
Scoring/evaluation

Audience Insights
‘You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… Until you
climb inside of his skin and walk around in it’ – Harper Lee, To kill a mockingbird
- Who they are
- What they do/think
- Why they do what they do/think
- Drivers of attitudes/behaviours
- Influences on attitudes/behaviours
- How we can reach them

EAST – what makes a successful campaign?
Each element is based on behavioural theories
Easy, by removing barriers or reducing friction
Attractive, by offering the right incentive
Social, by promoting a sense of positive belonging
Timely, by linking it to a current situation




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, Donovan and Henley
Page 88 – 90
Communication principles for successful campaigns
1. The receiver is an active processor of incoming information
2. Different target audiences may respond to different messages
3. Formative research, including message pre-testing is essential
4. Comprehensive, co-ordinated interventions are most successful




5. Use multiple delivery channels and multiple sources
6. Stimulate interpersonal communications
7. Campaigns must be sustained
8. Use a theoretical framework

Page 94 – 102
 Selective exposure (attention): medium/channel and message  some people read the
newspaper, others watch tv and you need to personalize the message
Pay attention to campaign message, if – personal relevance or sth they agree with ; message
and channel (some people may not have FB)
 Selective perception (interpretation): how someone understands the message
People see and believe what they want to see and believe; = if not in agreement – then I
reinterpret this information to be in
 Selective retention: memory is sometimes ‘reconstructed’ in line with attitude and
expectations rather than actual event ; TIME  based on what is in your memory

3 major sets of factors influencing the selectivity process:
1. Mechanical execution factors: physical or sensory attributes of the message vehicle (colour,
size, contrast, use of movement).
2. Psychological factors: personal interest, prior experiences
3. Message structure tactics (can involve mechanical and psychological factors)

Oasis - a guide to campaign planning
A guide for campaign planning especially for government and communication professionals.

Oasis: to make the planning process clear
Objective
Audience insight
Strategy
Implementation
Scoring/evaluation

Campaign = a planned sequence of communications/interactions that uses a compelling narrative
over time, to deliver a defined and measurable outcome.


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