Approaches to complex behaviour change focus primarily on the five main influences on behaviour:

1. Subjective Norms: The perceptions a person has of the expectations of significant others regarding the behaviour and the motivation to comply with these expectations.
2. Attitudes: The positive or negative evaluations of the possible consequences of performing a behaviour.
3. Self-efficacy for the behaviour or change of behaviour: The situation-specific confidence a person has that they are able to change their behaviour and maintain this behaviour change. A common argument is that people cannot be expected to engage in a behaviour, or even to form intentions to engage in a behaviour unless they believe that they have the necessary skills and abilities to perform the behaviour.
4. Peer support: The availability of support from peers and particularly the extent to which peers also demonstrate or model the relevant behaviour. In the case of engaging men as EEO partners, it is essential to look for ways to facilitate men supporting each other and to presenting alternative role models for advocating gender issues at the workplace.
5. Knowledge from information/education: The extent to which a person has knowledge of the causes and consequences of their current behaviour and possible alternative behaviours.

The most frequently used model of behaviour change literature is the transtheoretical model (Prochaska, DiClemente & Norcross, 1992). The model includes six stages and ten processes of change:

Stages of Change
Broadly, individuals are thought to traverse stages of change ranging from “not interested in change” to “sustained change”. These have been described by Prochaska & Velicer (1997) in the following way:

1. Precontemplation: This is the stage in which people are not intending to change or take action in the foreseeable future. This is the case for many men in organisations. People may be at this stage because they are uninformed or under informed about the consequences of their behaviour or the possible benefits of changing their behaviour.
2. Contemplation: This is the stage where people are intending to change within the foreseeable future. They are more aware of the pros and cons of changing but are also acutely aware of the possible negative consequences of changing. This balance between the costs and benefits of changing can keep people stuck at this stage for long periods of time. These people are not ready for traditional action-oriented approaches to change.
3. Preparation: This is the stage in which people are intending to take action in the immediate future. They are warmed up to change and can clearly see the benefits for themselves and for others, women and the organisation. They are very aware of the costs and benefits of change and are likely to have taken some significant action recently (e.g. actively sought information on gender issues).
4. Action: This is the stage in which people have made specific overt recent modifications to their behaviour (eg. have become more aware of the different ways they respond to women and men and have consciously changed their behaviour).
5. Maintenance: This is the stage in which people are working to prevent a relapse to the previous behaviour. Compared with other stages, they are also less tempted to relapse and demonstrate more confidence (self-efficacy) that they can continue their changes.
6. Termination: This is the stage at which people have zero temptation and 100% self-efficacy to maintain their behaviour.

Processes of Change
As described by Prochaska & Velicer (1997), these are the covert and overt activities that people engage in to progress through the stages:

1. Consciousness Raising: This involves increasing awareness about the causes and consequences of relevant behaviours. Interventions that increase awareness include feedback, education, confrontation, interpretation of behaviours and communication campaigns.
2. Dramatic Relief: This initially produces increased emotional experiences followed by reduced affect if appropriate action can be taken. Psychodrama, role playing, personal testimonies and media campaigns are examples of techniques that can move people emotionally.
3. Self-evaluation: This combines both cognitive and affective assessments of one’s self-image with and without a particular behaviour. Value clarification, appropriate role models, and imagery are techniques that can assist people evaluate effectively.
4. Environmental Re-evaluation: This combines both affective and cognitive assessments of how the presence or absence of a personal behaviour affects ones social or physical environment. It also includes the awareness that a person can serve as a positive or a negative role model for others. Empathy training can be particularly helpful here.
5. Self-liberation or willpower: Involves both the belief that one can change and the commitment and recommitment to act on this belief. Statements of commitment, public testimonies and multiple rather than single choices can enhance willpower.
6. Social Liberation: Involves an increase in social opportunities or alternatives. Advocacy, empowerment procedures and appropriate policy interventions (eg. anti-discrimination laws) can produce increased opportunities for behaviour change.
7. Counter-conditioning: Involves the learning of new behaviours to replace or substitute for current or identified problem behaviours. Examples include relaxation countering stress; assertion countering peer pressure. This technique would be particularly helpful to enable men to confront other men.
8. Stimulus Control: Involves removing cues for past inappropriate behaviours and add prompts for the changed behaviours. Avoidance, environmental reengineering, and self-help or support groups can provide stimuli that support change and reduce the risks of relapse.
9. Contingency Management: Involves providing consequences for taking steps in a particular direction. While contingency management can include the use of punishments, research shows that self-changers rely on rewards much more than punishments. Contingency contracts, overt and covert reinforcement, positive self-statements, and group recognition are procedures for increasing reinforcement and the probability that more appropriate behaviours will be repeated.
10. Helping relationships: This involves relationships that are based on caring, trust, openness and acceptance as well as support for the behaviour change. Rapport building, peer support and buddy systems can be sources of social support.

References

• Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy mechanism in human agency. American Psychologist, 37 (2), 122-147.
• Bandura. A. (1982). Self-efficacy: Toward a Unifying Theory of Behavioral Change. Psychological Review, 84 (2), 191-215.
• Proschaska, J. O., DiClemente, C. C. & Norcross, J. C. (1992). In search of how people change: Applications to addictive behavior. American Psychologist, 47 (9), 1102-1114.
• Proschaska, J. O. & Velicer, W. F. (1997). The Transtheoretical Model of Health Behavior Change. American Journal of Health Promotion, 12 (1), 38-48.