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COM-B behaviour change model
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COM-B behaviour change model
What is the COM-B model for behaviour change?
The COM-B behaviour change model offers a practical way of understanding what drives people’s behaviour and how it can be changed. It explains that behaviour (B) is shaped by three connected factors:
Capability (C): Whether someone has the knowledge, skills and physical ability to do something. This includes both psychological capability (such as knowing how to budget or learning a new skill) and physical capability (such as the strength or stamina needed for a task).
Opportunity (O): The external circumstances that make a behaviour possible or easier. This covers the physical environment (like time, resources, or access) as well as the social environment (such as cultural norms, social support or peer influence).
Motivation (M): The internal processes that push or pull someone towards a behaviour. This can be reflective (conscious intentions, planning, decision-making) or automatic (emotions, impulses, habits).
The model highlights that these three elements are closely linked. For example, creating opportunities can build capability which in turn can strengthen motivation. In other words, behaviour change happens when people have the ability, the opportunity and the motivation to act, and when these factors outweigh barriers or competing behaviours.
We build small, director-led, teams of sector experts who are with you from brief to debrief. As an employee-owned company, every one of us is invested in delivering quality, value, and long-term impact.
From agile testing to deep-dive strategic studies, we design research to meet your specific objectives. The agility of our in-house operations team and strength of our UK-wide recruiter network enable seamless execution at scale.
Our sector-focused teams have decades of experience understanding audiences and the complexities of the markets in which our clients operate. Working collaboratively we deliver actionable insight which drives positive change.
We build small, director-led, teams of sector experts who are with you from brief to debrief. As an employee-owned company, every one of us is invested in delivering quality, value, and long-term impact.
From agile testing to deep-dive strategic studies, we design research to meet your specific objectives. The agility of our in-house operations team and strength of our UK-wide recruiter network enable seamless execution at scale.
Our sector-focused teams have decades of experience understanding audiences and the complexities of the markets in which our clients operate. Working collaboratively we deliver actionable insight which drives positive change.
Contact us today to discuss your next market research project and discover how we could become a valuable extension of your team.
Contact us
Contact us today to discuss your next market research project and discover how we could become a valuable extension of your team.
Contact us 
