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Unintentional behaviour change

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 August 2014

Robert Aunger  and
Valerie Curtis
Robert Aunger
Affiliation:
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom. robert.aunger@lshtm.ac.ukhttp://sites.google.com/site/robertvaunger/val.curtis@lshtm.ac.ukwww.hygienecentral.org.uk/staff-profile-val-curtis.htm
Valerie Curtis
Affiliation:
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom. robert.aunger@lshtm.ac.ukhttp://sites.google.com/site/robertvaunger/val.curtis@lshtm.ac.ukwww.hygienecentral.org.uk/staff-profile-val-curtis.htm
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Abstract

We argue that the authors ignore a broad range of possible means of changing behaviour: unintentional change. Most of the behaviours that people seek to change – either in themselves or that are the subject of public health campaigns–are habitual, and hence not necessarily responsive to intentions. An evolutionary approach should take into account all kinds of evolved behavioural responses.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 37 , Issue 4 , August 2014 , pp. 418
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2014 

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