Attractor Landscapes in Behavior Change Science

Attractor landscapes: a unifying conceptual model for understanding behaviour change across scales of observation
The article presents a new conceptual model, attractor landscapes, to understand behavioural change. This model, derived from complex systems theory, provides a unifying framework for analysing behavioural change at different levels (individual, group, society). It describes behavioural change as movements between stable states (‘attractors’) in a dynamic landscape with valleys and hills, with factors such as motivation and environment determining the shape of this landscape. The article highlights non-linearity and sudden changes, and suggests new analytical methods to study this. Finally, implications for the design of interventions are discussed. (Listen to AI generated podcast (10 min).

Although a fossil ad ban is not mentioned as an intervention in the article, it makes sense to see fossil advertising as a force that is actively deepening valleys that make change harder. A fossil ad ban would - together with other measures - flatten the landscape, making change easier.

Matti T. J. Heino, Daniele Proverbio, Gwen Marchand, Kenneth Resnicow & Nelli Hankonen. Attractor landscapes: a unifying conceptual model for understanding behaviour change across scales of observation, Health Psychology Review, 17:4, 655-672, DOI: 10.1080/17437199.2022.2146598