Theory Database - Theory 72: Systems model of behaviour change

This is a searchable database of theories of behaviour change that have been formalised according to an Ontology-Based Modelling System.

For more information, see:

West, R., Godinho, C. A., Bohlen, L. C., Carey, R. N., Hastings, J., Lefevre, C. E., & Michie, S. (2019). Development of a formal system for representing behaviour-change theories. Nature human behaviour, 3(5), 526. doi.org/10.1038/s41562-019-0561-2.
Hale, J., Hastings, J., West, R., Lefevre, C. E., Direito, A., Connell Bohlen, L., Godinho, C., Anderson, N., Zink, S., Goarke, H., and Michie, S. (2020) An ontology-based modelling system (OBMS) for representing behaviour change theories applied to 76 theories [version 1; peer review: 2 approved]. Wellcome Open Research.

Theory 72: Systems model of behaviour change

Number of Constructs: 30
Number of Triples: 66

Theory triples

Birthdate, sex influences Personal demographic dynamics
Personal demographic dynamics influences Personal demographic characteristics
Personal socialisation process influences Social influences
Personal health dynamics influences Health status
Basic physiological make-up influences Personal health dynamics
Personal demographic characteristics influences Personal socialisation process
Parental and hereditary / genetic process influences Basic physiological make-up
Health environmental factors influences Perception of environmental factors
Perception of self influences Perception of social influence
Perception of social influence influences Perception of self
Perception of health status influences Perception of social influence
Perception of social influence influences Perception of health status
Perception of health status influences Perception of environmental factors
Perception of environmental factors influences Perception of health status
Perception of health status influences Health beliefs
Health beliefs influences Intention formation process
Health status influences Perception of health status
Social influences influences Perception of social influence
Perception of social influence influences Motivation to comply
Motivation to comply influences Intention formation process
Perception of self influences Attitudinal variables
Attitudinal variables influences Intention formation process
Basic physiological make-up influences Personal demographic characteristics
Health behaviours influences Personal health dynamics
Personal demographic characteristics influences Perception of self
Behavioural repertoire influences Perception of self
Perception of environmental factors influences Beliefs about incentives / barriers for health behaviour
Beliefs about incentives / barriers for health behaviour influences Intention formation process
Intention formation process influences Health intention
Behavioural repertoire influences the 'Health intention' to 'Behaviour change / maintenance' Influences relationship
Health intention influences Behaviour change / maintenance
Behaviour change / maintenance influences Health behaviours
Health behaviours influences Behavioural repertoire
Health behaviours influences Socio-cultural environmental milieu
Family structure influences Personal socialisation process
Personal health dynamics influences Health behaviours
Behavioural repertoire influences Health behaviours
Socio-cultural environmental milieu influences Health behaviours
Parental and hereditary / genetic process part of External antecedent condition
Socio-cultural environmental milieu part of External antecedent condition
Basic physiological make-up part of External antecedent condition
Birthdate, sex part of External antecedent condition
Family structure part of External antecedent condition
Health environmental factors part of External antecedent condition
Personal demographic dynamics part of Personal antecedent condition
Personal demographic characteristics part of Personal antecedent condition
Personal socialisation process part of Personal antecedent condition
Social influences part of Personal antecedent condition
Health status part of Personal antecedent condition
Personal health dynamics part of Personal antecedent condition
Perception of self part of Socio-psychological condition
Attitudinal variables part of Socio-psychological condition
Motivation to comply part of Socio-psychological condition
Perception of social influence part of Socio-psychological condition
Perception of health status part of Socio-psychological condition
Health beliefs part of Socio-psychological condition
Perception of environmental factors part of Socio-psychological condition
Beliefs about incentives / barriers for health behaviour part of Socio-psychological condition
Intention formation process part of Socio-psychological condition
Health intention part of Socio-psychological condition
Behavioural repertoire part of Behavioural condition
Behaviour change / maintenance part of Behavioural condition
Birthdate, sex part of Parental and hereditary / genetic process
Family structure part of Parental and hereditary / genetic process
Basic physiological make-up part of Parental and hereditary / genetic process
Skills / behaviours part of Behavioural repertoire

Theory constructs and annotations

Birthdate, sex Biological makeup and other related individual-level variables [ MF:0000032 (Bodily disposition) 72 60 ]
Personal demographic dynamics Behaviour change process that is influenced by one’s birthdate, sex and basic psychological make up
Personal demographic characteristics A variety of factors relating to human populations (e.g. educational achievement, occupation, income and geographic location)
Personal socialisation process Behaviour change process that involves family and social dynamics which serve to teach individuals their role within the family and within broader social contexts [ BCIO:050780 (Social role learning) 72 ]
Social influences The influence of others on behaviour (e.g. peer pressure/behaviour and parental modelling) [ BCIO:006099 (social influence behaviour) 72 60 10 4 14 9 54 ]
Personal health dynamics Behaviour change process that involves the biological, physiological, and chemical processes related to health and disease
Health status Current state of health [ BCIO:015092 (Health status attribute) 72 ]
Basic physiological make-up Biological makeup and other related individual-level variables [ MF:0000032 (Bodily disposition) 72 60 ]
Parental and hereditary / genetic process Birthdate, sex and basic psychological makeup and family structure / factors relating to one's physiological makeup [ MF:0000032 (Bodily disposition) 72 60 ]
Health environmental factors Environmental factors related to personal health, such as noise, stress and pollutants [ ENVO:01000254 (Environmental system) 72 2 56 47 76 49 60 58 67 63 46 4 17 5 66 9 3 10 14 ]
Perception of environmental factors Beliefs about the variables in one's environment such as those that describe the health care system or the work environment [ BCIO:006029 (Belief about one's environment) 72 76 5 80 ]
Perception of self Beliefs relating to self-concept, self-image, value orientation and personality traits [ ADDICTO:0000399 (Self-identity) 72 26 9 46 77 ]
Perception of social influence Beliefs regarding the influence of others on one's behaviour [ BCIO:050599 (Belief about social influence on oneself) 72 ]
Perception of health status Beliefs regarding the current state of one's health [ BCIO:050595 (Belief about own health) 72 ]
Health beliefs Perceptions of one's health, specifically relating to susceptibility / vulnerability; arise from perception of health status [ BCIO:006031 (Belief about personal susceptibility) 72 14 16 ]
Intention formation process The process by which a self-conscious plan to engage or not engage in a given health behaviour is formed [ BCIO:006114 (Goal setting process) 72 17 56 ]
Motivation to comply Willingness to exert physical or mental effort in order to act in accordance with others; can be exhibited either as conformity or rebellion/nonconformity [ BCIO:006059 (Willingness to comply) 72 1 3 66 80 79 ]
Attitudinal variables Factors that contain a value/emotional component, as well as a cognitive component [ BCIO:050326 (Affective attitude) 72 39 ]
Health behaviours Anything one does in response to internal or external events that has relevance for their health [ BCIO:050437 (health-related behaviour) 72 80 ]
Behavioural repertoire The sum total of potential behaviour or responses that one is capable of performing
Beliefs about incentives / barriers for health behaviour Perceptions about what will enhance or serve as a motive for, as well as what will restrict or impede, the behaviour (e.g. availability of programs) [ BCIO:006017 (Belief about barriers to a behaviour) 72 , BCIO:050591 (Belief about enablers of a behaviour) 72 79 73 ]
Health intention A self-conscious plan to engage or not engage in a given health behaviour [ BCIO:006016 (Behavioural intention) 72 , BCIO:050228 (Mental plan) 72 1 66 14 59 46 73 23 77 69 52 81 74 79 80 3 24 18 ]
Behaviour change / maintenance Occurrence or continuation of a behaviour that is different, or enacted in a different way, from one that would have occurred had an intervention not been applied; feeds back to three processes within the system and can therefore modify the behaviour change process [ BCIO:050209 (individual human behaviour change) 72 32 45 66 6 ]
Socio-cultural environmental milieu Context within which behaviour change occurs that includes health environmental factors and social cultural influences [ BCIO:006001 (Social environmental system) 72 62 13 68 10 14 69 33 60 28 80 41 64 4 65 77 3 57 ]
Family structure The size, composition, organisation, and type of family. [ BCIO:006002 (Family environmental system) 72 65 80 ]
External antecedent condition Level of the behaviour change process that consists of parental and hereditary/genetic processes and the socio-cultural environmental mileu [ MF:0000032 (Bodily disposition) 72 , BCIO:006001 (Social environmental system) 72 62 13 68 10 14 60 69 33 28 80 41 64 4 65 77 3 57 ]
Personal antecedent condition A behaviour change process that can be either personal demographic dynamics, personal socialisation process or personal health dynamics
Socio-psychological condition Level of the model containing behaviour change processes including perception of the self, perception of social influences, perception of health status and perception of environmental factors [ ADDICTO:0000399 (Self-identity) 72 , BCIO:050593 (Belief about health status) 72 , BCIO:050598 (Belief about social influence) 72 26 9 46 31 77 ]
Behavioural condition A state of attitudes and beliefs arising from socio-psychological condition that mediates intention formation [ BCIO:050328 (Attitude) 72 , MF:0000041 (Belief) 72 33 34 73 4 80 2 1 29 64 35 14 28 30 31 42 54 67 79 ]
Skills / behaviours The health-related actions, abilities or proficiencies (acquired through training and practice) contained within one’s behavioural repertoire [ BCIO:050215 (Behavioural capability) 72 66 40 63 23 65 8 41 ]

Theory illustration

Theory Reference

Kersell, M.W. & Milsum, J.H. (1985). A systems model of health behaviour change. Behavioural Science, 30, 119-126.

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