Favorite Parts Of Working In Behavioral Design As A Senior Behavioral Designer
Marisa, a Senior Behavioral Designer, appreciates the dignified problem-solving approach in her industry, focusing on environmental factors rather than assuming laziness or ignorance; the field helps create environments where people can "act on their best intentions" by addressing cognitive biases and contextual challenges.
Problem-Solving, Environmental Psychology, Behavioral Economics, International Development, Social Impact
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Marisa Nowicki
Senior Behavioral Designer
Behavioral Design Firm
University of North Texas
Carnegie Mellon University: Masters in Public Policy and Management (MSPPM), 2019
Medical, Sciences & Related, Psychology
Climate, Environment, Sustainability & Waste Management, Nonprofit, Foundations & Grantmaking
Consulting
Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, Greek Life Member, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. The field offers a dignified problem-solving approach by challenging assumptions about people's behavior.
2. It focuses on understanding the environmental and cognitive factors influencing behavior, rather than blaming individuals.
3. The work often involves collaboration with people from diverse backgrounds and aims to create supportive environments where individuals can act on their best intentions
Transcript
What do you enjoy most about being in your industry?
My favorite part about being in this line of work is that it's a very dignified problem-solving approach. We ask people to strip away assumptions they have when they come to us with a problem.
Often, when a partner, funder, or someone else presents a problem, they might say people are lazy or don't understand. They believe that if they could just educate people, that would solve it. But that's not how people work. We like to think if we put all the knowledge from our brain into someone else's, they would act the same way, but that's not reality.
In international development, where I apply behavioral science, many organizations treat issues as educational problems. They might say people aren't eating a diverse diet and that education on its importance is needed. Or, if people aren't reporting human trafficking, they believe simply explaining what it is and how to report it will suffice.
Often, people know what to do and are more aware of these problems than we think. It's not that they are uneducated, lazy, or don't care. Usually, something in their environment makes it difficult for them to act.
I like this field because it's very dignified, especially when working with people from low- and middle-income countries or backgrounds different from our own. We strip away assumptions and recognize that their environment and cognitive biases affect their behavior. The goal is to create an environment that allows people to act on their best intentions and align with their values.
What I like most is the approach and the understanding that people are coming from a place that makes sense and is rational. We just need to help them act in ways they desire.