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Empowering Change: A Self-Control Perspective on How Choice Architecture Interventions Can Promote Sustainable Behavior Change

Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

Standard

Empowering Change: A Self-Control Perspective on How Choice Architecture Interventions Can Promote Sustainable Behavior Change. / Engel, Lukas; Kukowski, Charlotte A.; Hahnel, Ulf J.J.
In: Motivation Science, 2025.

Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

Harvard

Engel, L, Kukowski, CA & Hahnel, UJJ 2025, 'Empowering Change: A Self-Control Perspective on How Choice Architecture Interventions Can Promote Sustainable Behavior Change', Motivation Science. https://doi.org/10.1037/mot0000396

APA

Engel, L., Kukowski, C. A., & Hahnel, U. J. J. (in press). Empowering Change: A Self-Control Perspective on How Choice Architecture Interventions Can Promote Sustainable Behavior Change. Motivation Science. https://doi.org/10.1037/mot0000396

Vancouver

Engel L, Kukowski CA, Hahnel UJJ. Empowering Change: A Self-Control Perspective on How Choice Architecture Interventions Can Promote Sustainable Behavior Change. Motivation Science. 2025. doi: 10.1037/mot0000396

Bibtex

@article{d986982b31bc4611abec75a3c46985b7,
title = "Empowering Change: A Self-Control Perspective on How Choice Architecture Interventions Can Promote Sustainable Behavior Change",
abstract = "Choice architecture interventions have been recognized as effective tools for promoting behavior change. While existing descriptive frameworks and taxonomies can help elucidate the important role of microenvironments in shaping behavior, such approaches rarely and inconsistently localize underlying psychological mechanisms, leaving it open when and why such interventions work (or not). Here, we argue that choice architecture interventions primarily operate by influencing self-control processes that immediately precede behavioral enactment. By bridging the two research lines on choice architecture and self-control, we conceptually map how different types of choice architecture interventions can facilitate sustainable behavior change by acting upon specific components of the self-control process. We thereby address the need for (a) a better integration of choice architecture interventions into behavioral theories by clarifying the psychological mechanisms underlying their effects and (b) a stronger consideration of self-control processes in explaining sustainable behavior. We derive testable hypotheses from our approach for future empirical research and discuss implications of our research for evidence-based intervention design to promote sustainable behavior change.",
keywords = "choice architecture, intervention classification, motivation, nudge, self-control, Psychology",
author = "Lukas Engel and Kukowski, {Charlotte A.} and Hahnel, {Ulf J.J.}",
note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 American Psychological Association",
year = "2025",
doi = "10.1037/mot0000396",
language = "English",
journal = "Motivation Science",
issn = "2333-8113",
publisher = "American Psychological Association Inc.",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Empowering Change

T2 - A Self-Control Perspective on How Choice Architecture Interventions Can Promote Sustainable Behavior Change

AU - Engel, Lukas

AU - Kukowski, Charlotte A.

AU - Hahnel, Ulf J.J.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2025 American Psychological Association

PY - 2025

Y1 - 2025

N2 - Choice architecture interventions have been recognized as effective tools for promoting behavior change. While existing descriptive frameworks and taxonomies can help elucidate the important role of microenvironments in shaping behavior, such approaches rarely and inconsistently localize underlying psychological mechanisms, leaving it open when and why such interventions work (or not). Here, we argue that choice architecture interventions primarily operate by influencing self-control processes that immediately precede behavioral enactment. By bridging the two research lines on choice architecture and self-control, we conceptually map how different types of choice architecture interventions can facilitate sustainable behavior change by acting upon specific components of the self-control process. We thereby address the need for (a) a better integration of choice architecture interventions into behavioral theories by clarifying the psychological mechanisms underlying their effects and (b) a stronger consideration of self-control processes in explaining sustainable behavior. We derive testable hypotheses from our approach for future empirical research and discuss implications of our research for evidence-based intervention design to promote sustainable behavior change.

AB - Choice architecture interventions have been recognized as effective tools for promoting behavior change. While existing descriptive frameworks and taxonomies can help elucidate the important role of microenvironments in shaping behavior, such approaches rarely and inconsistently localize underlying psychological mechanisms, leaving it open when and why such interventions work (or not). Here, we argue that choice architecture interventions primarily operate by influencing self-control processes that immediately precede behavioral enactment. By bridging the two research lines on choice architecture and self-control, we conceptually map how different types of choice architecture interventions can facilitate sustainable behavior change by acting upon specific components of the self-control process. We thereby address the need for (a) a better integration of choice architecture interventions into behavioral theories by clarifying the psychological mechanisms underlying their effects and (b) a stronger consideration of self-control processes in explaining sustainable behavior. We derive testable hypotheses from our approach for future empirical research and discuss implications of our research for evidence-based intervention design to promote sustainable behavior change.

KW - choice architecture

KW - intervention classification

KW - motivation

KW - nudge

KW - self-control

KW - Psychology

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105005736148&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1037/mot0000396

DO - 10.1037/mot0000396

M3 - Journal articles

AN - SCOPUS:105005736148

JO - Motivation Science

JF - Motivation Science

SN - 2333-8113

ER -

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DOI