How can the Media Influence Human Behavior?
Arsen Imankulov
SBCC and behavioral insight-driven project development and communications in Central Asia
The surge in popularity of “crime” series in Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia has ignited debates and discussions about whether these shows should be “banned” or allowed by regional parliaments and governments. These series often romanticize criminal lifestyles, portraying them in a captivating light.
Recently, I had the privilege of being interviewed by Kaktus.Media, a major digital media platform with an impressive reach of over 2 million in Kyrgyzstan and Central Asian countries. Their interest in topics related to Behavioral Science
The interview turned out to be much more extensive. To avoid confusing transitions between concepts, I’ll share a brief summary of our conversation.
(1) Can media influence people’s opinions and behavior
This is the central question that interests policymakers and government practitioners. The answer is YES.
Using cinema or television series to promote specific viewpoints in society is not new. However, the degree of influence and specific figures remain elusive. Currently, there is a lack of objective research and data on this topic. It is incredibly challenging to precisely assess how watching a film or series impacts short-term or long-term perceptions and behaviors. Experts often cite the example of “Simplemente María,” an ordinary soap opera that unexpectedly stirred Latin American female audiences, motivating them to pursue education, start businesses, and more.
Therefore, if the media industry can advance a social good agenda while serving as a double-edged tool, it is equally capable of promoting negative role models and values. In any case, this is a complex issue intertwined with ethics, censorship, and necessitates further exploration.
(2) Enhancing Reach and Effectiveness of Social Norms and Behavioral Change Interventions
The delicate balance between Social Impact Entertainment
Recognizing the profound influence of media on people’s decisions and opinions, there is growing attention to the importance of leveraging media for social good
These interventions take various forms, but they predominantly fall into two categories:
Examples:
(SIE) A prime example is the TV series “Simplemente María,” which touched on critical social issues and promoted positive norms without initially aiming for educational impact.
(SIE) “Akyrky Sabak” (The Last Lesson): A similar project in Kyrgyzstan, supported by Internews and USAID under the Media-K initiative. Key messages are woven into an existing entertaining narrative. Impressively, the first episode has already garnered 2 million views on YouTube—a remarkable feat for a country with a population of only 6.5 million.
For more details, visit this link https://usaidkg.exposure.co/newsletter-jan-2022-eng
(Between SIE and Edutainment) The series “Akcha” (translated as “Cash”) and “Dukon” (translated as “Store”), were launched as part of the "Money" women and youth financial inclusion Edutainment Campaign, developed by Salt (Sol') communications for IFC - International Finance Corporation and SECO Wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
A critical project objective was to achieve broad population coverage in both countries, stimulating the positive shift of social norms and individual behaviors related to productive and innovative approaches to managing personal and family finances. Consequently, the decision was made to enhance the entertainment component of the series to attract a larger audience. As a result, the edutainment campaign reached nearly 6 million people across the two nations (over two-thirds of Kyrgyzstan’s adult population and one-third of Tajikistan’s adult population).
The campaign evaluation revealed significant shifts in social norms and attitudes achieved by our teams in both countries. Additionally, it generated more than 20,000 leads for “healthy” financial services, impacting behaviors.
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In the case of the “Money”, TV drama formats were just one facet of a multifaceted Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) intervention, complete with its own theory of change and project indicators. The series’ concepts were built around pre-defined role models, a recommended list of key messages, and fictional “life stories” informed by behavioral science.
In an upcoming publication, I’ll delve into the methodology behind developing comprehensive edutainment campaigns
(between SIE and edutainment) Another fascinating example of leveraging behavioral insights to inform television and entertainment media is a popular political drama series watched by millions in Nigeria.
This collaboration involves the MacArthur Foundation , BIT (BIT), Equal Access International , and Griot Studios Limited . Their joint project aimed at both integrating messages informed by behavioral science and evaluating the outcomes.
Although the results of their research are currently pending academic publication and cannot be publicly shared yet, I believe that the outcomes and project details will reveal the full potential of utilizing and assessing behavioral-informed Edutainment and SIE interventions. This understanding could significantly scale these approaches. You can also explore the preliminary material provided by BIT at this link https://www.bi.team/blogs/broadcasting-anti-corruption-education-to-millions/.
"Pure" edutainment communicates more directly with the audience. The scenarios in such products are typically built entirely around conveying knowledge or targeting specific social norms and human behavior. The entertainment format serves to simplify the delivery of key messages—whether through humor or interactive elements—and consequently enhances comprehension and potential reach.
As an illustrative example, consider the web series titled Sex Ki Adalat (meaning Court of Sex), which is a fictional reality TV show. Additionally, a series of non-commercial advertisements and clips were created to reshape social norms and reduce the social acceptability of violence against women in India. This edutainment content was produced by WEvolve, a multi-donor initiative that supports innovative campaigns against violence against women, in collaboration with the Population Foundation of India .
Furthermore, a research team comprising colleagues from 美国哥伦比亚大学商学院 , DIME/The World Bank, and Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona —including Dante Donati , Victor Orozco-Olvera, and Nandan Rao—has confirmed the effectiveness of using short edutainment formats to influence attitudes and behaviors. Additionally, they highlight the high potential of leveraging social networks and streaming platforms as effective channels for reaching diverse online user groups, including vulnerable populations.
For further details, you can refer to the document here https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/099339310052299397/pdf/IDU05ab252610de64042c3093f6046968a8fbfd8.pdf
(3) What is Social and Behavior Change Communications (SBCC)? Is it the same as Behavioral Science (BeSci)?
Answer: NO, but they are closely intertwined in terms of goals and approaches related to development policy, programs, and communications.
(a) Local Grounding: Tailoring nudges to the specific context.
(b) Testing: Rigorously evaluating nudges.
(c) Comprehensive Programs: Integrating nudges as part of broader social and behavior change programs, considering the entire picture.
?When it comes to edutainment, SBCC & BeSci, terms like "social impact," "behavioral change," "nudging," and "neuromarketing" can sound like jargon to the uninitiated, easily dismissed as mere infotainment or buzzwords. However, the expert community in Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia still has a long way to go — not only to begin operating but also to utilize all available tools for social good in our region.
I appreciate Natalya Timirbayeva, the chief editor of Cactus Media, for her genuine curiosity and desire to delve into the heart of the matter. I hope the interview proved valuable to those interested.
The full video version in Russian can be found on YouTube: Может ли "Слово пацана" изменить наше социальное поведение (youtube.com)
Additionally, the complete text version in Russian is available here: Что такое экономика поведения и как "Слово пацана" может повлиять на каждого из нас (kaktus.media)
P.S. I’m excited to continue the conversation about how behavioral science can positively impact Kyrgyzstan, Central Asia, and the broader development world. Feel free to connect with me on Arsen Imankulov or Salt (Sol') communications to share your thoughts and experiences!