Abstracts

Session 1

Obstacles to Behavioural Change

Speaker: Sudarshan R Kottai

Title: Queerness, Everyday Violence and Psychosocial Disability in Elite Academia

Abstract: This talk analyses my lived experience as a queer academic at an elite university where everyday violence characterised by microaggressions and invalidation (re)produces psychosocial disability. “You can do well in research and teaching because you don’t have a ‘family’ unlike me”, I was told by a cis-het married woman faculty colleague soon after my joining. I was also told, “You have only one institutional responsibility (to take care of), I have two children” in response to my refusal to take up a responsibility as suggested by her in the official meeting. Being in the charmed circle of sexual and social hierarchy, she gains extraordinary power to institute everyday violence.Such dehumanising remarks cause deep psycho-emotional harm. My mental health vulnerabilities are produced, reproduced and reinforced by oppressive cis-het institutional norms that align with majoritarian sociocultural standards. I argue that psychosocial disability is a moral and ethical issue born out of lack of love, empathy and an ethic of care. An alternative world that resists structural violence is imperative to catapult mental health on Indian campuses where student suicides have surpassed that of farmers. The greatest gap in mental health interventions has been in understanding the lived experiences of suffering.

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Speaker: Lakshmi Sankaran

Title: Communication Diversity with Alternative Augmentation for Women Living in Group Homes Having Long Term Needs and Psychosocial Challenges

Abstract: Communication diversity encompasses the many ways that humans express themselves and connect with others. While it is mainly through speech being a narrow band of communication, we are beginning to understand how exploring alternatives or non-standard communication such as sign language, written text, pictures, embodied expression via visual art, movement and so on serves serve as alternative augmentative communication. There is enough evidence on how integrated approaches open the gates for those with psychosocial challenges, vulnerable children and the elderly to accomplish their own individualized mental health goals for sustained behaviour change, promotion of wellness and joy in daily life (often battling with recovery and relapse in healing contexts). Experiences on the benefits of mixed multimodal communication via arts - based methods, local mind traditions that is culturally rooted and used in group housing settings for women with long-term needs, recovering from mental health-related problems will be discussed. Frameworks and skills need to align with a disability-inclusive development perspective inspired by the convention on the rights of persons with disabilities (CRPD). Keywords: multimodal communication, sustained wellbeing, women with long - term needs, psychosocial disabilities, barriers.

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Speaker: Julian Thayer

Title: Overcoming Barriers to Behavior Change: A Neurovisceral Integration Perspective

Abstract: In this talk, Julian F. Thayer presents a neurovisceral integration perspective on behavior change, grounded in the bidirectional relationship between the brain and the heart. Central to his framework is Heart Rate Variability (HRV) as an index of the neural network linking the prefrontal cortex to the autonomic nervous system. Higher HRV reflects greater prefrontal inhibitory tone and more flexible, adaptive responses to challenges; lower HRV is associated with poorer physiological, emotional, and cognitive health outcomes. Thayer then presents evidence that HRV biofeedback — via paced breathing — can increase vagal tone, modulate prefrontal-amygdala connectivity, and produce measurable functional and structural brain changes. He concludes that targeting the brain-heart axis offers a promising, vagally-mediated pathway for overcoming barriers to behavior change.

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Speaker: Elena Janine Schooley

Title: The Behavior Change Conundrum: Reflections on the Struggle

Abstract: The Rider, the Elephant and the Path metaphor will be briefly introduced. This behavior change framework argues that for effective change, you must direct the Rider, understand and motivate the Elephant, and shape the Path. However, despite the fact that most practitioners know that we must avoid focusing only on knowledge (the Rider), too many behavior change efforts continue to fall short. Three fundamental reasons will be presented to help explain why, using the Rider, Elephant and Path metaphor to explore the challenge of changing our own behaviors as practitioners. Our Rider: The knowledge that we need in order to be as effective as possible is limited by the nature of the monitoring, evaluation, research and learning that we rely on as public health practitioners. Our Elephant: We know that knowledge alone will not change behaviors, and yet we aren’t able to translate that knowledge into action. A fundamental aspect of our particular Elephant as development and public health practitioners is our “savior syndrome”. Our Path: Overall, there’s a disconnect between how projects are funded and organized and what is actually required for behaviors to truly be transformed.

Session 2

Science of Learning for Behavioral Change: Implications for Public Health

Speaker: Cristine H Legare

Title: The Cultural Ecology of Health: A Science of Learning Approach to Understanding How Communities Learn, Adapt, and Transmit Health Practices

Abstract: The science of learning has predominantly examined individual cognitive processes in formal contexts, with comparatively less attention to how communities learn, revise, and transmit consequential practices under real-world ecological constraints. We propose the Cultural Ecology of Health as a contribution to the philosophy of the science of learning — one that foregrounds learning as embodied, socially distributed, and culturally situated. The framework emerges from a multi-method research program in rural Bihar, India, examining how community health workers, traditional birth attendants, and families navigate perinatal health decisions across coexisting biomedical and traditional knowledge systems.Three sets of findings challenge dominant assumptions about how health-relevant learning occurs. First, learning is embodied: community health workers influence their clients not primarily through information transmission but through the authority of their own lived practices — their personal adoption of both biomedical and traditional behaviors significantly predicts client behavior, with traditional practices showing even stronger transmission than biomedical ones. Second, learning is socially distributed: both health workers and community members recognize that social dynamics — household power structures, gatekeepers, community norms — shape health decisions, yet default to information provision as the primary strategy for influence, revealing a deeply internalized deficit model that institutional training reinforces rather than corrects. Third, learning is culturally organized: communities do not simply adopt or reject biomedical knowledge but actively generate hybrid practices that integrate traditional logics and biomedical recommendations into coherent local systems, with different knowledge holders occupying complementary ecological niches in this process.Together, these findings reframe a persistent global health puzzle — why knowledge does not reliably produce behavior change — as fundamentally a question about the science of learning. The Cultural Ecology of Health treats health behavior not as the endpoint of information transfer but as an emergent property of complex learning systems operating across individual, household, community, and institutional levels. This perspective offers the science of learning a framework for studying how communities navigate competing knowledge systems, how embodied and propositional knowledge interact in consequential decisions, and how cultural transmission adapts under ecological pressure.

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Speaker: Sharon Barnhardt

Title: From Perception to Purchase: Demand for Water Quality Testing in Rural India

Abstract: In many public health domains, risks are invisible and judged through everyday sensory experience. This talk presents evidence from a lab-in-the-field experiment conducted in Gujarat in the context of India’s National Jal Jeevan Mission. We test whether increasing knowledge and salience of imperceptible water contaminants, and demonstrating scientific testing procedures, can increase demand for household water quality testing.Participants were randomly assigned to positive or negative video framings about water quality, a scientific testing demonstration, and an interactive “Taste or Test” decision in which they could pay to view a water quality report. Negative framing increased short-run testing in the game, while the testing demonstration alone did not change behavior. Neither video intervention increased subsequent household test uptake. In contrast, actively making a choice in the “Taste or Test” game substantially increased later household testing, though demand remained highly price-sensitive.The findings show that learning can shift beliefs and perceptions of risk, emotional activation does not automatically translate into action, and incentivized risk evaluation may be more powerful than one-way information in shaping public health behavior.

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Speaker: Sangu Delle

Title: From Messages to Mastery: How the Science of Learning Scales Health Behavior Change Across African Care

Abstract: Why do so many public health behavior-change programs fade after promising early results? A common failure mode is treating people—and health workers—as information-deficient rather than as learners operating under real constraints. Speaking as CEO of CarePoint, a healthcare system operating 65 facilities across Ghana, Nigeria, and Egypt and serving approximately one million patients annually across urban, rural, and mixed-income settings, I argue that durable health behaviors scale when we design them as learnable skills and habits. I translate core learning mechanisms—spacing, retrieval practice, feedback loops, and habit formation—into implementation choices for both workforce training and patient education, using the COM-B/Behaviour Change Wheel to connect theory to design. I highlight Africa-relevant evidence, including SMS-based support improving ART adherence in Kenya, health-worker prompt trials improving malaria guideline adherence, and SMS reminders improving immunization completion in Nigeria. I show how CarePoint applies these principles through digital microlearning, train-the-trainer diffusion, culturally grounded content, local-language delivery, and partnerships with faith networks and NGOs. I conclude with a practical behavior-as-learning checklist and a sober view of responsible AI as an accelerator.

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Speaker: Rebecka Lundgren

Title: Learning to Shift Norms: Leveraging Learning Science for Gender Equity and Family Violence Prevention

Abstract: How can insights from learning science strengthen gender and social norms initiatives? Norms-shifting programs intentionally create structured social learning environments—through peer groups, media narratives, and community dialogue—that enable participants to observe new behaviors, practice them, and receive reinforcement. This presentation examines common norms-change mechanisms through the lens of learning science, drawing on a decade of iterative qualitative and quantitative implementation research in Uganda from the Responsible, Engaged, and Loving (REAL) Fathers program. REAL is a multi-level social and behavior change intervention that trains community-based mentors to engage young fathers (ages 16–25) and their partners in positive parenting and play, gender equity, and nonviolent communication through home visits, group mentoring, and community dialogue. This presentation explores how core learning processes—attention, social modeling, reflection, and reinforcement—can be intentionally embedded in program design to support sustained behavior change. It concludes with implications for collaboration between learning scientists and health practitioners, highlighting how interventions can better align with cognitive and social learning mechanisms and how change can be measured beyond short-term outcomes.

Session 3

Science of Learning for Behavioral Change: Implications for Education

Speaker: Nandini Singh

Title: Strengthening Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Through Cognitive Science

Abstract: Despite significant improvements in school enrollment, education systems continue to face persistent challenges in improving foundational learning outcomes. This presentation draws on insights from cognitive psychology and neuroscience to propose evidence-based strategies that can transform foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) acquisition for both students and teachers.Guided by the principle that “what is not assessed is not improved,” we propose a two-pronged model designed to drive meaningful behavioural change. The first prong focuses on identifying student needs through the use of a technology-based diagnostic tool administered at school entry. This tool assesses essential “cognitive building blocks” underpinning literacy and numeracy development, enabling early identification of learning needs. The second prong targets teachers by assessing their understanding and application of core cognitive science principles, like spaced practice and retrieval practice. By evaluating and strengthening teachers’ instructional knowledge, the model ensures that evidence-based learning strategies are consistently embedded in classroom practice. Following these assessments, an integrated teacher–student intervention can be designed. Teachers explicitly incorporate cognitive building blocks into instruction—such as phonics decoding in literacy and number sense in numeracy—while systematically applying memory-enhancing techniques. These practices strengthen both retention and motivation. By aligning cognitive science, behavioral insights, and systematic assessment, this dual-arm approachoffers a scalable pathway to improving foundational literacy and numeracy outcomes worldwide.

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Speaker: Andrea Chiba

Talk Title: A Glimpse Into the Science of Learning: The importance of time and timing for learning.

Abstract: The science of learning provides the knowledge and motivation for designing learning contexts that vary according to the needs of the learner. Exploration of cultural practices and their role in development provides opportunities for understanding foundations for learning. Whereas the prioritization of technical skills such as computing, and mathematics is a logical step in the effort to develop curricula that meet the increasing technical demands of society, methods of training broad cognitive and pro-social skills such as communication, cooperation, attention, and creativity are elusive, yet critical, to the development of a healthy and dynamic generation of children. A growing body of evidence suggests that the practice and study of group music may be one such method. Our work includes ongoing research that is revealing links between general cognitive characteristics such as attention and specific musical abilities such as rhythmic precision. We conclude that musical and rhythmic training may be beneficial at many levels, from enhancing social timing, attention, interaction, and cooperation, to improving the way the brain encodes sound. Thus, a synthesis of discoveries emanating from the science of music and the science of learning suggest the possibility of incorporating culturally and socially relevant group music programs into school curricula to better prepare students for the demands of a technologically advanced, global innovation ecosystem.

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Speaker: Sneha Shashidhara

Title: Behaviorally Informed Pathways to Strengthen Parental Engagement in Foundational Learning 

Abstract: Foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) skills by Grade 3 are central to long-run learning trajectories, yet many children in low-resource settings fall behind. Parents are powerful—often under-supported—agents of change. In this talk, I share evidence from a field experiment in rural government schools in Uttar Pradesh testing two low-cost, behaviorally informed approaches to help parents support children’s early Hindi and math learning: (1) a printed workbook with short, contextualized FLN activities, and (2) WhatsApp peer groups delivering similar activities via videos, reminders, and simple social feedback. We find that the workbook increased the value parents placed on FLN, while WhatsApp improved parents’ decision-making about “the next right step” in skill progression, reduced over- and under-confidence, and increased self-reported time spent on learning activities. Effects were particularly strong among more present-biased parents, highlighting the importance of designs that reduce cognitive load and provide timely cues. I conclude with practical implications for scalable home–school partnerships and for program design to sustain behaviour change.

Session 4

Successful Science of Learning × Technology Collaborations

Speaker: Ig Ibert Bittencourt Santana Pinto

Title: Helping Learners Thrive with Well-Being: The Role of Positive Artificial Intelligence in Education (P-AIED)

Abstract: Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIED) has traditionally focused on optimizing learning outcomes such as performance, efficiency, and engagement. However, emerging evidence from the learning sciences suggests that students’ emotional states, motivation, and sense of belonging play a critical role in shaping how they respond to learning challenges and persist over time. This talk introduces Positive Artificial Intelligence in Education (P-AIED), a paradigm that reorients AI systems toward supporting human flourishing by integrating principles from positive psychology, educational research, and well-being science into the design of intelligent learning environments.Rather than treating well-being as a secondary outcome, P-AIED positions it as a core mechanism for improving students’ capacity to engage with learning opportunities. The presentation explores how AI-driven tools—such as Early Warning Systems—can move beyond predictive analytics to become proactive and caring infrastructures that support timely pedagogical responses."

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Speaker: Andy Bhanot

Title: Collaborations between researchers and technology/health practitioners for improved health outcomes

Abstract: I will present 3 case studies based on projects implemented by PCI India where we conducted formative research using a behavioral lens; co-created solutions with the stakeholders using human centered design (HCD) approach; implemented and measured the impact using a rigorous evaluation design; and disseminated the evidence to recommend scale-up of interventions through Government programs.Case Study 1: Promoting timely initiation and exclusive breastfeeding for babies up to 6 months; promoting timely initiation of complementary feeding, minimum dietary diversity and minimum acceptable diet for children 7 to 24 months old; and involvement of family members in supporting the mothers in child feeding practices.Case Study 2: Promoting spousal communication; awareness of contraceptive methods; and easy access to contraceptives among migrant households in select districts in Bihar state of India.Case Study 3: Promoting awareness on the importance of IFA supplementation among pregnant and lactating women; importance of anemia testing, adherence to the screening, referral, treatment and tracking mechanism; and compliance with treatment protocols among the health workers conducting community outreach activities.The case studies will endeavor to bring out the effectiveness of behaviorally informed approaches with technology enabled solutions to drive impact at scale.

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Speaker: Santanu Chaudhary

Title: Learning Science & AI: Technology-Supported Collaborative Learning

Abstract: In this talk, Santanu Chaudhury explores how Learning Science and AI can come together to transform technology-supported collaborative learning. Starting from core principles — spaced repetition, retrieval practice, cognitive load management — he examines how Generative AI can meaningfully enhance each of them. A central focus is the "Pedagogy of Possibilities": a move away from the traditional teacher-centric model toward learning experiences built around student agency, creativity, and transformative thinking. He argues that in today's complex, rapidly changing world, education must shift from actuality to possibility — and that AI, used thoughtfully, can be a powerful partner in that shift. He also addresses the promise and pitfalls of AI-assisted personalized learning. While LLMs can orchestrate collaboration, surface misconceptions, and enable continuous assessment, commercial EdTech often prioritizes efficiency over deeper educational goals. He advocates for a human-AI hybrid model that preserves the teacher's critical role, develops self-regulation skills in learners, and always starts with clear educational goals before reaching for technology.

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Speaker: Matthew Cruse

Title: Balancing and Realigning Power: Integrating AI into Community-Led Learning Systems

Abstract: In most development programs, there is a disconnect between knowledge and action, between learning and behavior. Participants recall key messages and demonstrate short-term retention. Yet behaviors often fail to become socially reinforced, aligned with community priorities, and sustained beyond the project lifecycle. Evaluation data repeatedly show a consistent pattern: strong knowledge gains and reported satisfaction, but uneven long-term adoption. These gaps are less about information deficits and more about ownership, social norms, and who controls the learning process.As global funding models shift and international institutions reduce their footprint, communities and local organizations are assuming greater responsibility for sustaining change. At the same time, AI is reshaping how programs are designed and how data are collected, analyzed, and used for decision-making. Even as financial power decentralizes, the authority to interpret data risks becoming newly centralized.This talk examines how Community-Led Development principles such as peer learning, interventions grounded in lived experience, and regular reflection and adaptation can be integrated with AI-enabled systems. The central theme is that sustainable behavior change depends not only on the intervention, but on who governs the systems that shape learning and decision-making.

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