What Is Behavioral Complexity? Lay Perceptions of Characteristics of Complex Behavior

Abstract

A behavior’s complexity may impact habit formation, with implications for habit-based public health and environmental intervention designs. However, there are varying conceptualizations of behavioral complexity, hindering synthesis of findings. To develop a unified definition, the aim of this study was to explore perceptions of behavioral complexity and identify behaviors that exemplify aspects of complexity. Participants (N = 225) completed a questionnaire concerning the complexity of various health and environmental behaviors, the importance of complexity characteristics previously identified by researchers (novelty, difficulty, steps, planning, immediacy of reward, time, attention, skill, mental resources, self-efficacy, and motivation for a behavior, and supportiveness of the context) and demographics. Participants considered all proposed characteristics to be important. Complex behaviors (e.g., abstaining from smoking, taking insulin shots), compared to simple behaviors (e.g., eating fruit, stretching) are more likely to be true to the previously identified characteristics. Perceived complexity is influenced by several salient characteristics. Results may contribute to a synthesized definition and underpin future research to better identify behavior change techniques to foster habitual behaviors of varying complexity. Hence, researchers, practitioners and policymakers may identify common barriers and facilitators of behavior to target in interventions. But further research is required to contextualize the findings.

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