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Unlocking Behaviour Change

Unlocking Behaviour Change

By: Robert West
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Unlocking Behaviour Change is a podcast delving into psychology and motivation. Join Professor Robert West, a world-leading behavioural scientist, and Jamie West, a writer and musician, as they explore the human mind with practical insights and a touch of humour. Whether you’re into psychology, behaviour science, or just want to understand yourself (and others) a little better, this podcast is for you. Check out our latest books: Energise: The Secrets Of Motivation: https://shorturl.at/bbA7y React: Harness Your Animal Brain: https://shorturl.at/yiFQ9 Sign up to Robert’s Substack: https://robertwest100.substack.com/ Subscribe to the UBC YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@unlockingbehaviourchangeCopyright 2025 All rights reserved. Hygiene & Healthy Living Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Science Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Some slightly weird behaviour change techniques, and how to get the most out of practice
    Jun 23 2026

    Robert and Jamie delve into a class of Behaviour Change Techniques called 'Advise specific behaviour BCTs' in the BCT Ontology. Some are a bit weird, but among them is advising on practice. They discuss what’s the best way to practice a new skill, like a musical instrument. Should you have a beer in the middle of a run? What’s it like driving with your dad before a driving test? Find out all this and more in today’s episode!

    Want more? Check out our latest books:

    Energise: The Secrets Of Motivation: https://shorturl.at/bbA7y

    React: Harness Your Animal Brain: https://shorturl.at/yiFQ9

    Sign up to Robert’s Substack: https://robertwest100.substack.com/

    Subscribe to the UBC YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@unlockingbehaviourchange

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    27 mins
  • A deeper dive into behaviour change techniques and the 'Behaviour Change Technique Ontology'
    Jun 16 2026

    What if you had a list of everything you could possibly do to change behaviour? Well, today Robert talks about such a list: The Behaviour Change Technique Ontology and also how you can see it and use it yourself! Robert and Jamie then take a deeper dive into one of the categories of behaviour change technique: 'Advise how to change emotions BCT' and its sub-categories.

    Here is a link to the Behaviour Change Technique Ontology (BCTO) as part of the Behaviour Change Intervention Ontology (BCIO).

    For the academics among you, here is a link to the scientific paper introducing the BCTO.

    And while we are at it, here is a link to the Theory and Techniques Tool that links behaviour change techniques to 'mechanisms of action' for behaviour change. And finally, here is a link to the CACTIS tool that links COM-B targets to behaviour change techniques.

    Listen out for the sound check at the end ...

    Want more? Check out our latest books:

    Energise: The Secrets Of Motivation: https://shorturl.at/bbA7y

    React: Harness Your Animal Brain: https://shorturl.at/yiFQ9

    Sign up to Robert’s Substack: https://robertwest100.substack.com/

    Subscribe to the UBC YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@unlockingbehaviourchange

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    26 mins
  • What are Behaviour Change Techniques?
    Jun 9 2026

    What is a ‘behaviour change technique’ (BCT)? How does the way you deliver a technique affect the outcome? What is the difference between a thought and a behaviour? Join Robert and Jamie as they introduce this highly useful and widely applicable concept.

    Robert makes reference to the Behaviour Change Technique Ontology (BCTO) which is part of the Behaviour Change Intervention Ontology (BCIO). Here is a link to the BCIO home page. But if you want to go straight to the full list of BCTs here is a link.

    Want more? Check out our latest books:

    Energise: The Secrets Of Motivation: https://shorturl.at/bbA7y

    React: Harness Your Animal Brain: https://shorturl.at/yiFQ9

    Sign up to Robert’s Substack: https://robertwest100.substack.com/

    Subscribe to the UBC YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@unlockingbehaviourchange

    Show More Show Less
    29 mins
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