Social innovations often fail not because the ideas are bad—but because they ask too much of real people. If we want to close the gap between good intentions and action, we have to design our programs with human behavior in mind. Which, according to Dan Ariely, is predictably irrational.

Why Do Good Intentions So Often Fall Short?

If you’ve ever made a New Year’s resolution and dropped it by February, you’ve experienced the “intention-action gap.” You meant to do better—but life got in the way.

Social innovators and entrepreneurs run into the same problem at scale. You design a program that’s good for people, good for the planet… and then? Crickets. Why?

Because real humans are messy, emotional, busy, and stressed. As behavioral economist Dan Ariely puts it, we’re “predictably irrational.” We don’t always do what’s best for us, even when we know we should.

That’s not a failure of people—it’s a failure of design.

7 Behavioral Science Strategies to Help You Create More Impact

At MovingWorlds, we teamed up with Dan Ariely to explore this in our masterclass series, Social Science to Scale Social Innovation. What emerged is a toolkit of behavioral design strategies that any social entrepreneur can use to increase engagement, adoption, and ultimately—impact.

Let’s dive into six key strategies, with real-world examples from our community.

1. Make Your Theory of Change Persona-Based

Most Theories of Change are built around systems or ideal users. But real people don’t live in spreadsheets.

Instead, design with vivid, real-life personas. Who are they? What are their motivations, fears, cultural norms, and daily routines?

One social entrepreneur in our cohort realized she was serving two very different users: a rural mother who hesitated to buy glasses for her child, and an urban teacher looking for stylish eyewear. When she mapped her Theory of Change around those distinct personas, her strategy shifted—and impact increased.

Takeaway: A human-centered Theory of Change accounts for complexity and context. It’s not just “design thinking”—it’s empathy in action.

2. Map (and Remove) Friction

You can’t just motivate people—you have to make it easy for them to act. Every unnecessary step, confusing instruction, or time cost is a point of dropout.

Friction mapping is your secret weapon. Visualize your user’s journey and hunt for anything that slows them down.

In our series, one edtech entrepreneur discovered that teachers dropped off during email verification. A simple fix (remove the extra step) boosted adoption overnight.

Common frictions to address:

• Long or confusing forms

• Time or travel requirements

• Social or financial risk

• Decision overload

Pro tip: Even tiny changes can unlock big wins. Be a “friction hunter”—always test and learn.

3. Measure What Actually Matters

It’s easy to collect metrics for donors—but what do they tell you about real behavior?

Ask yourself:

• What behavior am I trying to change?

• What would progress look like in someone’s life?

• What signal would show my intervention is working?

One entrepreneur pivoted from tracking course completions to tracking new savings accounts opened. That’s behavioral data—real impact, real change.

Remember: Data should serve learning, not vanity.

4. Build a Purpose-Driven Culture

Behavioral science isn’t just for your end users—it’s for your team, too.

People are motivated by meaning, recognition, and community. So are your employees.

One entrepreneur redesigned onboarding to include mission storytelling, celebratory moments, and peer mentorship. Result? Higher engagement and more innovation from frontline staff.

Design tip: Align systems with intrinsic motivation, not just performance metrics. Build rituals, celebrate wins, and share impact stories internally.

5. Let Price Signal Value

Free isn’t always better.

Behavioral science tells us that price influences perception. When something costs nothing, people may devalue it or ignore it.

One entrepreneur started charging a small fee for a formerly free service—and attendance went up. Why? Because users felt more invested.

Design tip: Use pricing to communicate trust, credibility, and commitment. “Pay what you can” and sliding scale models can still signal value when done thoughtfully.

6. Incentivize Short Term Change to Create Long Term Impact

We’re wired to favor short-term pleasure over long-term benefit. That’s why people skip workouts or ignore preventative care.

Reward substitution flips the script. Introduce small, immediate rewards to make the right behavior feel good now.

Example: The SuperBetter app turns mental health into a game, using badges and “power-ups” to create instant gratification. Over time, these small wins lead to big change.

Low-cost ideas:

• Points, badges, or streaks

• Public recognition (people crave social standing)

• Access to fun features or perks

7. Implement Behavior Change Tools

Even when people intend to take action, emotional and cognitive barriers often get in the way. Here are five practical tools from behavioral science that help people follow through on good intentions:

1. Ulysses ContractsPre-commitments that limit future choices to protect one’s long-term interests. Application: A workplace wellness ap invites employees to pre-schedule well-being breaks and challenges before stressful periods.

2. RitualsRoutine actions anchored in meaning can reinforce behavior. Application: Youth entrepreneurship programs that start each session with a personal affirmation ritual increase attendance and engagement.

3. Peer VisibilityWhen actions are seen and celebrated, accountability and momentum grow. Application: Community health groups sharing daily wins via WhatsApp increase program adherence.

4. Pre-Commitment ToolsSurveys, pledges, or scheduling features allow users to commit before temptation strikes. Application: Pre-set reminders for taking medication or joining coaching calls can double compliance rates.

5. Environmental CuesSubtle changes in context can nudge better decisions. Application: One organization moved free health supplements closer to check-in desks—and saw a 40% increase in pick-up rates.

Scaling Impact Starts with Understanding the Humans We Aim to Serve

To truly scale social innovation, we must design not for how people should act, but for how they actually do.

That’s not lowering the bar—it’s raising the effectiveness. It’s designing with dignity, empathy, and science.

As you refine your social impact work, remember:

1. Start with real personas, not generic users

2. Map friction relentlessly

3. Measure what matters to the humans you serve

4. Fuel motivation with smart incentives

5. Create systems of accountability and support

6. Build a culture that honors meaning and continuous learning

7. Use behavioral science hacks

At MovingWorlds, we help social innovators, CSR leaders, and purpose-driven professionals scale change that works for people and planet. Behavioral science is just one part of our human-centered approach. Want to learn more? Explore our programs →

Want to learn more about Behavioral Science? Check out our complete guide.