Looking for alternatives to theories and practices that presume rationality and prediction

Karen Greiner “Sustainable societies” Post doctoral fellow

University of South Florida, Department of Communicationkgreiner@usf.edu, kgreiner@gmail.com

April 15, 2011

Presentation road map

1. The connection between theory, practice, measurement & financing.

2. Widely used theories and approaches

3. How these theories are often used in practice

4. Why alternatives are needed: Case study: Family planning in Sudan.

5. Alternative practices exist, but alternative theories are lacking

6. Alternative practice 1: Case study Scenarios from Africa

7. Alternative practice 2: Case study: PDEV Niger/Chad

8. Final thoughts, questions, discussion

The connection between theory, practice, measurement & financing

Assumptions of widely used theories and approaches

• Health Belief Model: Perceptions of threat, susceptibility, barriers/benefits

• Theory of reasoned action: Relationship between behavior and beliefs, attitudes, and intention

• Extended parallel process model (EPPM): Responses to threat: danger control vs. fear control

• Stages of change: Motivations and readiness for change along a continuum

• Social learning theory: Modeling of behavior and concepts of self-efficacy and collective efficacy

How these theories are often used in practice• Health Belief Model: Influence perceptions of threat,

susceptibility, barriers/benefits. IEC campaigns, Social marketing, EE.

• Theory of reasoned action: Influencing attitude to affect intention and behavior: IEC, social marketing, EE

• Extended parallel process model (EPPM): Fear appeal campaigns

• Stages of change: Research to identify and influence “stages” in smoking cessation process: tailor messages to different stages.

• Social learning theory: Modeling of behavior, self-efficacy and collective efficacy. Entertainment education, social marketing, IEC to disseminate information about products and resources

Why alternatives are needed: Case study: Family planning in Sudan

• Entertainment education radio soap opera

• Major themes: female reproductive health, birth spacing, HIV/Prevention.

• Themes provided by U.S. based project staff, script written by Sudanese writers.

• Modeling desired behavior through positive and transitional characters, modeling consequences of undesired behavior through negative character.

Graphic representation of intervention(The “stone” model)

Diffusion of messages

Diffusion of messages

Diffusion of messages

EE radio soap opera

Solid and “closed” – it is thrown and presumably “makes ripples”

Qualitative evaluation: participatory sketching and photography

Alternative practices exist, but alternative theories are lacking

Alternative practice 1: The contest

• Global Dialogues: Scenarios from Africa

Alternative practice 2: The interactive dialogue loop

• Equal Access: Peace and Development Project (PDEV) Niger/Chad

Scenarios from Africa(The “sponge” model)

Diffusion of films

Short films about

HIV/AIDS

Diffusion of films

Diffusion of films

Youth scripts

Youth scripts

Youth scripts

It is “porous” - Open to input that shapes intervention

Equal Access PDEV(The interactive dialogue loop)

Weekly broadcasts

Weekly radio shows

Stakeholder workshops

Content advisory

groups

Community reporters

It is “porous” - Open to input, before, during and after

Youth producersWeekly broadcasts

Listening groups

SMS - Frontline

Final thoughts, questions/discussion

1. The connection between theory, practice, measurement & financing.

2. Widely used theories and approaches

3. How these theories are often used in practice

4. Why alternatives are needed: Case study: Family planning in Sudan.

5. Alternative practices exist, but alternative theories are lacking

6. Alternative practice 1: Case study Scenarios from Africa

7. Alternative practice 2: Case study: PDEV Niger/Chad

8. Final thoughts, questions, discussion

Resources:

An overview of theories used by the National Institutes of Health

Alternative forms of measurement (Cultural scorecards, in Spanish)

Alternative forms of measurement (MSC technique, in Spanish)

Case study – Scenarios from Africa Case study – Puntos de Encuentro, Nicaragua “Invitational” social change The use of entertainment education to promote

dialogue

Chambers, Robert. Whose Reality Counts?: Putting the First Last. London: Intermediate Technology Publications, 1999.

Estrella, Marison. Learning from change: Issues and experiences in participatory monitoring and evaluation. London: ITDG publishing, 2000.

Jackson, Edward and Yusuf Kassam. Knowledge shared: Participatory evaluation in development cooperation. Ottawa: Kumarian press, 1998.

Rogers, Everett M. “Communication and Development: The Passing of the Dominant Paradigm.” Communication Research 3, (1976): 121-148.

Westley, Frances, Brenda Zimmerman and Michael Quinn Patton. Getting to Maybe: How the World is Changed. Toronto: Vintage Canada. 2006.

Bibliography (selection)