1. Applying BeSci to the COVID-19 Response
  2. Federal Social Media Campaigns
1. Executive Summary 2. About Impact Canada 3. About Behavioural Science4. Campaign 1 5. Campaign 2

Summary Federal Social Media Campaigns

photo of parliament hill with icons of people and a heart in the middle

1. Summary

Informed by the insights put forward, Impact Canada developed two social media campaigns intended to enhance nationwide physical distancing compliance (#StayHomeSaveLives), in particular. The behaviourally-informed materials were shared in over 250 posts across social media channels by over 30 departments.

2. About Impact Canada

Impact Canada is part of a comprehensive set of initiatives launched by the Government of Canada in 2017 aimed at solving complex policy challenges using challenge prizes, pay-for-success, and behaviourally based models. Impact Canada enables the use of challenge prizes through a set of flexible Terms and Conditions (Ts&Cs) for Grants and Contributions that allow funding to be linked to outcomes achieved as well as funding rigorous, research based evaluations.

The Impact and Innovation Unit at the Privy Council Office helps departments develop innovative funding opportunities that bring together the best ideas and brightest talent, and reward those organizations and individuals that deliver high impact results for Canadians.

3. About Behavioural Science

The Behavioural Science (BeSci) team was established in 2015, and has been growing the practive of BeSci across the Government of Canada. Today, the team is composed of a a central group of researchers housed in the Privy Council Office, and multiple BeSci Impact Canada Fellows who are embedded within various Government of Canada departments, supporting the integration of BeSci insights and methods into priority program and policy areas.

While our team members have diverse academic backgrounds and an array of methodological specialities, we all share a passion for understanding human behaviour and using that understanding to drive change. Combining our knowledge of the literature with cutting-edge research and experimentation practice is what we do best.

3.1 Our approach: The behavioural design process

We are data-driven and evidence-based. Testing is integral to how we work. We conduct high-quality research to understand behaviour, and use a variety of rigorous experimental and quasi-experimental approaches to test - and scale - effective solutions.

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    Our projects often follow a multi-stage process, which we tailor to fit the needs and contexts of each project and partner.

    1 Identify

    • Consult with departmental leadership to identify priority target outcomes of interest and key behaviours to target
    • Discuss current approaches and additional opportunities for innovation

    2 Understand

    • Conduct initial research (e.g. literature scans, stakeholder interviews) to inform hypotheses of drivers and barriers to behaviours
    • Conduct additional mixed-methods research (e.g. interviews, observations, surveys, and analysis of administrative data) to test hypotheses

    3 Design

    • Ideate solutions for confirmed hypotheses, referencing the behavioural science literature
    • Present prototypes of solutions to partners for feedback
    • Iterate to refine solutions and prepare priority solutions for testing

    4 Test

    • Prepare plans for experimental or quasi-experimental tests of solutions and analysis of results
    • Implement solutions in line with testing plan
    • Collect data
    • Analyse and present results

    5 Scale

    • Prepare plans for scaling (e.g. for broad dissemination of results, preparing policy memos, and supporting other key stakeholders to adapt and adopt provides solutions)
    • Support plan execution

4. Campaign 1

Posted: April 4-6, 2020

4.1 Stay Home. Save Lives

Applied behavioural Science insights:

  • Emphasize collective action, moral responsibility, civic duty
  • Including concrete call to action (i.e., clear and actionable language)
  • Demonstrate efficacy of physical distancing

Version 1: Static image

Version 2: Animated gif

4.2 Get groceries once per week

Applied behavioural Science insights:

  • Emphasize collective action, moral responsibility, civic duty
  • Including concrete call to action (i.e., clear and actionable language)
  • Demonstrate adaptiveness and emphasizing a sense of control during physical distancing

4.3 Connect with loved ones virtually

Applied behavioural Science insights:

  • Emphasize collective action, moral responsibility, civic duty
  • Including concrete call to action (i.e., clear and actionable language)
  • Demonstrate adaptiveness and emphasizing a sense of control during physical distancing

5. Campaign 2

Posted: April 10-13, 2020

5.1 Avoid Parks

Applied behavioural Science insights:

  • Making social norms and desired behaviour salient (photo of empty park)
  • Leveraging dynamic norms (i.e., information about how other people’s behaviour is changing overtime)
  • including concrete call to action (i.e., clear and actionable language)

5.2 Celebrate Virtually

Applied behavioural Science insights:

  • Evoking emotional response
  • Emphasizing collective action, moral responsibility, civic duty
  • Demonstrating efficacy of virtual connections

5.3 Hand Washing

Applied behavioural Science insights:

  • Evoking emotional response
  • Including concrete call to action (i.e., clear and actionable)
  • Prompting cognitive elaboration (i.e., encouraging conscious reflection) via question posing

5.4 Self-Assess

Applied behavioural Science insights:

  • Prioritize salience and simplicity
  • Including concrete call to action (i.e., clear and actionable language)
  • Demonstrating efficacy of the self-assessment tool

Publié initialement le 30 avril 2020.