E22 - The TITE Process - 4 steps to applying theory in social marketing
This episode welcomes Dr Taylor Willmott behavioural scientist and thought leader in social marketing. Taylor is a lecturer in marketing at The University of Adelaide and also works with industry and government, climate change, reducing sexual violence, chronic disease, obesity prevention and much more.
This episode is all about why we need to use theory in our behaviour change intervention/campaign design.
With so many people tackling similar problems we need to be able to share learning openly, transparently and evaluate with confidence – and that means using theory.
Using theory will reduce stress, build confidence and
Taylor talks us through her recently published TITE process can help us get started and stay the course. TITE stands for:
T – theory selection. I – Iterative schematisation. T – Test Theory E- explicit reporting
Taylor is very happy to take any questions and connect. You can reach her via Taylor Willmott | Researcher Profiles (adelaide.edu.au)
Book recommendation
Taylors book recommendation: “Think Big: Take small steps and build the future your want” by Grace Lordan
(I have since read it and am saving it for my teenage son. I wish I had this book when I was starting my career. Deep lightbulb moments alert!)
Guest Resources/useful links
- TITE Process Paper: Willmott, T. J., & Rundle-Thiele, S. (2022). Improving theory use in social marketing: the TITE four-step theory application process. Journal of Social Marketing, 12(2), 222-255. doi: 10.1108/JSOCM-05-2021-0117
- *GEM Database (for theoretical measures): NCI (2019), “Grid-enabled measures database [online]”, National Cancer Institute, available at: www.
- gem-beta.org/public/MeasureList.aspx?cat=2
- *SOBC Database (for theoretical measures): SOBC (2019), “The measures [online]”, Science of Behavior Change, available at: https://org/measures/
3 AHA moments
1) Use theory to design evaluation before you get started. Don’t let theory stop at the insight planning stage include it in your process evaluation as well as outcome evaluation.
2) If we don't use theory to evaluate we will be forever circling the drain! Revisiting the same challenges because we cant confidently share what works and what doesn't.
3) Process evaluation is important – some of the intervention may work. Some may not. You need to know, so you don’t throw the theory out with the bath water! Evaluation isn't black or white we need safe spaces to be able to share what doesn't work as well as celebrate what does.