As India slowly prepares to lift the lockdown, its vast population will have to build and exercise important new habits such as physical disturbances, wearing masks and maintaining hand and facial hygiene. The virus spreads to a large extent, depending on how effective and permanent we bring about these behavioral changes. We propose the ‘MINDSPACE’ framework and require behavioral science within ethics as soon as the lockdown ends.

What will happen to people’s behavior after a few weeks? Some people may find no harm in being normalized by engaging in ‘risky’ behavior after a difficult lockout. It is ‘fatigue’, ie boredom that follows a new imposed behavior and is likely to be given by people. Practices such as ‘just one night out with friends’, ‘I don’t feel like wearing a mask today’ or ‘I’ll quit washing my hands this time’ can’t be considered comfortable. Nevertheless, this voice in our head gets right every time we say ‘I will do nothing’. Additionally, as individuals, we severely underestimate how our behavior affects the collective.

Broadly speaking, there are two angles from which we can think about behavior change. First, what the affected individuals think consciously based on the information available (‘System 2’ thinking). Second, we focus on how we can influence the automatic contexts that people take action by changing the context of (system 1 ‘thinking). Here, we explore the applicability of the MINDSPACE framework, an easy book developed by the Behavioral Insights Team (BIT) in the Indian context. It was developed to help policy makers in the UK incorporate behavioral science into public policy decisions. MINDSPACE is a simple epidemic: messenger, incentive, norm, omission, salary, instigation, affect, commitment and arrogance.

The Messenger Effect describes how people are affected by the way they communicate information. India, with its large and diverse population, needs major influencers to voice the importance of preventive behavior in a way that resonates with people from socio-economic groups. An example is a video made by the BCCI where cricketers call themselves ‘Team Mask Force’. The information, when conveyed by such personalities as politicians, sports persons or film actors, can help arouse cultural and patriotic feelings, rallying people for more than themselves.

The latter includes another technique that has been exposed in the epidemic, namely affected. It stimulates action using emotional associations, as we saw on March 22 when citizens across the country clapped for front-line professionals. Further, Ego states that humans behave in ways that make them feel good about themselves. Messaging that advocates responsible behavior ticks both of these boxes, not only for themselves, but also for the welfare of one’s family. For example, caring for the elders in our homes and taking care of the domestic workers by not cutting their wages, speaks of the Ego element.

When it comes to designing messages, attention is drawn to the novel and the contextual meaning of silence. Ase hello over handshake is a catchphrase that can stick; Police in Haridwar used an actor dressed as ‘Yamraj’ to spread awareness and urged people to adopt necessary behavior. Such key messages can be disseminated and reinforced through various channels – television, radio and other media as a public safety declaration. It is essential for everyone to understand that the end of lockdown is not a sign that COVID-19 has been erased.

People’s behavior changes if they come in contact with some sightseeing, words or sensations. This is called priming. Since people are favored in environments where attentional and attentional features influence their decisions, policy-makers can be ‘choice architects’ and by putting cues in the environment, people are given a favorable ‘default behavior’ Can inspire Examples include installing public sinks and liquid soaps next to bus stops in Kerala, which automatically wash people their hands once they land. People have adopted physical disturbances by drawing circles at intervals of one meter on the road near the counters of vegetable and grocery stores. Such measures should be adopted across India to positively influence the behavior of people.

In the last few weeks, we have all invested in the fight against COVID-19. Once the lockdown is over, it is necessary to bring to the minds of the people how far we have come and will show the way forward. This will ensure a commitment to maintain people’s social security, avoid unnecessary nights, and so on. As more people adopt precautionary behavior, they will provide a visual cue that has changed social norms.