Behavioural Science in Practice

Course content

The course is taught over three full days at WBS London, The Shard by Warwick Business School's Behavioural Science group, and the CogCo team. The programme will include guest speakers, who will share their experience of using behavioural science in their organisation.

You will learn about key principles and current thinking in behavioural science, and how to apply them to research, design and test ideas. The course emphasises practical application, so what you learn is directly transferable back into your workplace. Each day, you will learn about both theory and practice, while being encouraged to work on your live challenges as briefs.

You will explore the hidden forces that shape how we think and decide, and the influence of context and culture, including:

Beliefs: the seriality of thought, how we reason-by-example, the ubiquity of overconfidence, and reasoning as rationalisation

Decision-making: why decision making is so hard, our brain as a comparison machine, deciding one reason at a
time, and choosing by comparing and by copying

Preferences: self-control problems and how they can be addressed, social norms, altruism, reciprocity, network
nudges and social bridging.

Teaching days

Each day, you will learn about both theory and practice, while being encouraged to work on your live challenges as briefs. 

Day 1: Foundations of Behavioural Science

23 April 2025

WBS London at The Shard

 

You will start your programme by gaining a foundational understanding of behavioural science and its significance in influencing decision-making processes. This will include learning to identify various cognitive biases and heuristics that can impact business decisions, enhancing your awareness of how these psychological factors operate in real-world scenarios.

 

A key component of your programme will be applying behavioural science insights to challenges facing your business, with insights from your peers, WBS faculty, and CogCo. During your first workshop you will start to outline your behavioural science group project, with a particular focus on setting clear and measurable behavioural objectives to guide your initiative.

 

At the end of your first day of teaching there will be a cohort dinner in London, designed to help strengthen your network and encourage continued debate outside of the classroom.

Day 2: Applying Behavioural Science

24 April 2025

WBS London at The Shard

 

Your second day will deepen your understanding of the practical applications of behavioural science, particularly in overcoming barriers to behaviour change. You will explore a range of practical tools and techniques designed to influence behaviour effectively, drawing insights from successful case studies in both government and commercial sectors. By examining real-world challenges, you will learn how to analyse insights and develop actionable solutions, fostering collaboration and critical thinking within your teams.

Day 3: Testing and Integration

25 April 2025

WBS London at The Shard

 

On the final day, you will focus on the principles of testing and evaluating the effectiveness of your proposed solutions, presenting your findings to your cohort, WBS faculty, and CogCo.

 

Alongside the culmination of your group work, you will also explore how artificial intelligence is being integrated into behavioural science, enhancing the ability to gather insights and implement interventions.

 

At the end of this programme you will feel empowered to apply your new found knowledge in practical settings, driving meaningful behaviour change in your own organisation.

Our teaching team

Behavioural Science in Practice is taught by Warwick Business School's Behavioural Science group, alongside the Behavioural Insights team. 

The Behavioural Science group at Warwick Business School is the leading centre of its kind in Europe, at the forefront of research in psychology, economics and neuroscience, while heavily involved in real world applications.

The Behavioural Insights Team (BIT) is a global social purpose company of leaders and pioneers in applied behavioural science. They exist to improve lives and communities by helping all levels of government, the private sector and philanthropies tackle their biggest challenges through the application of behavioural science.