Understanding and Influencing Consumer Behavior

1. Understanding and Influencing Consumer Behavior Nutrition Education and Counseling

2. Topics to be covered • Factors Affecting Food Consumption • Theories of behavior change • Client-centered counseling • Family-centered counseling • Transcultural counseling

3. Topics to be covered • Factors Affecting Food Consumption • Theories of behavior change • Client-centered counseling

4. Why Do People Eat What They Eat? • Discuss this in terms of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs--Figure 8-1, page 240 Boyle and Morris • Using Figure 8-2, page 241, provide examples of ways that each factor affects food consumption

5. Theories of Behavior Change • Health Belief Model • Thery of Reasoned Action • Theory of Trying • Consumer Information Processing • Stages of Change • Diffusion of Innovations

6. Health Belief Model (Table 8-2, p. 247) • In order to change a behavior a person must believe he/she is: • Susceptible to illness • Occurrence of condition will have a serious impact on life

7. Health Belief Model (con’t) • Following a particular set of health recommendations will be beneficial • Barriers to following to recommendations can be overcome • Recommendations will have psychological benefits

8. What are examples of how one would use this model?

9. Theory of Reasoned Action • Intentions are the best predictor of behavior

10. Theory of Trying: A modification of Theory of Reasoned Action • See model in figure 8-3, page 249 • Various factors influence the strenght of the intention to try a new behavior • Attitudes toward success or failure • Expectation of success or failure • Attitude toward the process of changing • Emotional response to the new behavior • Past experiences with trying the new behavior

11. How might you apply this theory? • What techniques would you use to counsel a person who says “Well, I’ll try to reduce my fat intake, but my family will only eat fried foods.”

12. Social Learning Theory • Central premise: Personal knowledge and beliefs, the beliefs of important others, and the physical and emotional environment influences what a person eats. A change in one of these factors has implications for the other factors.

13. Social Learning Theory (con’t) • See Table 8-3, p 251 for concepts • A strength of SLT if that it focuses on behavior, rather than knowledge and attitudes • The concepts, with their definitions and implications, provide ways of addressing the physical and social environment, mastery of skills, self-monitoring, rewards and incentives, and small steps for goal completion.

14. How Would You Apply This Theory?

15. Diffusion of Innovation • Central premise:Most people do not change behavior easily or quickly. Some change earlier than others. • Very useful theory when planning an intervention addressing groups of people (macro level interventions).

16. Diffusion of Innovation, Page 254, Figure 8-5 change time

17. Stages of Innovation • Knowledge--Individual is aware of innovation and has acquired some information about it • Persausion--Individual forms an attitude about the innovation--either in favor of or against it

18. Stages of Innovation (con’t) • Decision--Individual performs activities that lead to either adopting or rejecting the innovation • Confirmation--Individual looks for reinforcement for his decision and may change it if he is exposed to counter-reinforcing messages

19. Diffusion of Innovations • Innovations that are successful must meet certain criteria: • Compatible with existing value systems and lifestyles • Flexible • Appear more advantageous than previous practices

20. Diffusion of Innovations (con’t) • Criteria (con’t) • Reversible • Low risk • Perceived as having greater benefits than costs

21. Stages of Change • Central premise: Changes in eating patterns involve multiple steps and adaptation over time. These steps form a continuum. A person may or may not be ready to try to change at a given time. Education and counseling strategies must match stage person is at.

22. Stages of Change • Very useful in individual counseling situations (micro-interventions) • As you counsel individuals in your community rotation, determine at what stage the person is. • Your approach should reflect that stage.

23. Stages of Change • Stages: • 1. Precomtemplation: unaware/not interested • 2. Comtemplation: thinking about change • 3. Determination or preparation: becoming determined to change

24. Stages of Change (con’t) • 4. Action: Actively modifying habits • 5. Maintenance: Maintaining new, healthier habits • 6. Relapse: Returning to old behavior

25. How might you approach a person at each stage? • Precontemplation • Comtemplation • Determination • Action • Maintenance • Relapse

26. Relapse Prevention • Central premise: Addictive behaviors are habit patterns that have been overlearned. These habits can be changed through self-management or self-control, particularly through developing ways to change expectations of oneself.

27. Skills one might develop to prevent relapse • Planning to order the low-fat entree at a restaurant • Planning what to eat at a party • Not feeling guilty for eating a high-calorie meal • Taking a low calorie snack when shopping

28. Client-Centered or Non-directive Counseling

29. Client-Centered Counseling • Client-centered counseling allows the client to take responsibility and to set goals that he/she can embrace.

30. Methods to Acheive Client-Centered Counseling • Establish rapport with client • Involve client--allow him/her to ventilate problems • Demonstrate empathy toward client • Beaware of nonverbal behaviors that assure client that you accept him/her

31. Nonverbal Behaviors • Eye contact • Posture • Sitting across desk • Leaning forward • Phone ringing • Looking at clock/watch • Voice

32. Methods to Acheive Client-Centered Counseling (con’t) • Use empathetic statements to keep client talking • Explore problem to determine possible alternatives • Use open-ended questions • Begin with how, what, and why • Have you ever been on a diet ?vs How have you tried to control your weight?

33. Methods to Acheive Client-Centered Counseling (con’t) • Use directives • “Talk about _____” • I want to know what you think about ---” • “Tell me more about -----” • Use encouragers • “yes, yes”, “ah ha” • Lean forward or nod your head • Remain silent after client finishes

34. Consumer Information Processing (CIP) • Central premise: Individuals can process only a limited amount of information at one time. • This thery is very helpful when planning a nutrition class or deciding what information to share in a couseling session.

35. CIP (con’t) • In order to be used nutrition information should be: • Available • Considered useful • Not confusing • Tailored to the comprehension level of the audience

36. CIP (con’t) • Accessible at the time of decision making • Matched to the person’s past experiences

37. Methods to Acheive Client-Centered Counseling (con’t) • Practice active listening • Rephrase what client has said • “Let me see if I understand what you are saying---” • Practice self- monitoring--be aware of the effect of your reactions • Resolve--Agree with client on goals • Closure--Make plans for next visit

38. Family-Centered Counseling • Recognizes that the family unit is a system that is affected by the behavior and development of each member • The family is the constant in the client’s life, whereas the service systems and personnel within those systems may be involved episodically

39. Family-Centered Counseling (con’t) • Empowers families by making them a partner in the decision-making process • Enables families by fostering their independence and existing skills and helping them to develop additional skills

40. Primary Sources Used • Frankle and Owen. Nutrition in the community. Mosby, St. Louis, 1993. • Hertzler AA, Stadler KM, Lawrence R, Alleyne LA, Mattioli LD, Majidy M. Enpowerment: a food guidance process for cross-cultural counseling. J Family and Consumer Sciences, summer, 1995 45-50.

41. Primary Sources (con’t) • Brownell J. Relational listening: fostering effective communication practices in diverse organizational environment. Hospitality and Tourism Educator. 6(4):11-16; 1994. • Boyle MA, Morris DH. Community Nutrition in Action an Entrepreneurial Approach. West Publishing, Minneapolis. 1994