COM-B
Updated 2026-08-09
INTRODUCTION
English translation pending.
CORE DEFINITION
COM-B states that a behavior occurs only when three components are simultaneously present: Capability, covering psychological and physical capacity; Opportunity, covering the physical and social environment; and Motivation, covering both automatic and reflective processes. It works as a behavior diagnosis: if you cannot move yourself or someone else to act, check which of the three is missing. Is it that they cannot do it, lacking capability, that they have no conditions for it, lacking opportunity, or that they do not want to, lacking motivation? Each answer points to a different intervention.
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
Reduce cognitive load
- Diagnose the missing link: ask whether the blocker is capability, opportunity or motivation. - Match the fix to the cause: train for capability, redesign environment for opportunity, persuade for motivation. - Avoid the motivation trap: stop assuming reluctance when the real deficit is skill or setting.
Anchor fast decisions
Built on the three requisites of behavior. Behavior occurs only when capability, opportunity and motivation are all satisfied; if any one is absent the behavior does not happen, which is what makes the model a diagnostic for where to intervene.
MINIMUM ACTION
In progress 0/1Practice this model in one real situation:
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Source support: Explicit
- en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behavioural_change_theoriesverified
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