A word for change in behavior

Anyone who has ever broken a New Year’s resolution can appreciate the difficulty of behavior change. Making a lasting change in behavior is rarely a simple process. It usually involves a substantial commitment of time, effort, and emotion. The stages of change (or transtheoretical) model seeks to explain and effect such change, and the science says it works in many cases.

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How to Get Started

Whether people want to lose weight, stop smoking, or accomplish another goal, no single solution works for everyone. You may have to go through a process of trial and error to achieve your goal.

It’s during this period that many people become discouraged and give up on their behavior change goals. The keys to achieving and maintaining your goals are to try new techniques and find ways to stay motivated.

Change might not come easily, but psychologists have developed effective ways to help people change their behavior. Therapists, physicians, and teachers use these techniques. Researchers have also proposed theories to explain how change occurs. Understanding the elements of change, the stages of change, and ways to work through each stage can help you achieve your goals.

The Elements of Change

To succeed, you need to understand the three most important elements in changing a behavior:

• Readiness to change: Do you have the resources and knowledge to make a lasting change successfully?
• Barriers to change: Is there anything preventing you from changing?
• Likelihood of relapse: What might trigger a return to a former behavior?

Stages of Change Model

One of the best-known approaches to change is the stages of change (aka, transtheoretical) model, introduced in the late 1970s by researchers James Prochaska and Carlo DiClemente. They were studying ways to help people quit smoking. The stages of change model has been found to be an effective aid in understanding how people go through a change in behavior.

In this model, change occurs gradually and relapses are an inevitable part of the process. People are often unwilling or resistant to change during the early stages, but they eventually develop a proactive and committed approach to changing a behavior. This model demonstrates that change is rarely easy. It often requires a gradual progression of small steps toward a goal.

Stages of Change Examples

The transtheoretical model can help in a vast array of areas, from smoking cessation, weight loss, and drug misuse rehabilitation to lifestyle goals such as healthy eating, regular exercise, improved sleep schedules, etc. Any significant change you’d like to make in your life would likely benefit from applying the transtheoretical model.

Limitations of the Transtheoretical Model

Although the transtheoretical model can foster behavioral change, critics have pointed out several limitations:

• It assumes that the person is capable of rational, logical decisions and actions.
• It doesn’t take into account contextual factors such as income, class, occupation, etc.
• No defined start/end points or durations delineate each stage or the overall process.
• Interview tools such as questionnaires are arbitrary and unstandardized.

Stage 1: Precontemplation

The earliest stage of change is precontemplation. During the precontemplation stage, people are not considering a change. People in this stage are often described as «in denial,» because they claim that their behavior is not a problem. In some cases, people in this stage do not understand that their behavior is damaging, or they are under-informed about the consequences of their actions.

If you are in this stage, begin by asking yourself some questions. Have you ever tried to change this behavior in the past? How do you recognize that you have a problem? What would have to happen for you to consider your behavior a problem?

Stage 2: Contemplation

During this stage, people become more and more aware of the potential benefits of making a change, but the costs tend to stand out even more. This conflict creates a strong sense of ambivalence about changing. Because of this uncertainty, the contemplation stage of change can last months or even years.

You may view change as a process of giving something up rather than a means of gaining emotional, mental, or physical benefits. If you are contemplating a behavior change, there are some important questions to ask yourself: Why do you want to change? Is there anything preventing you from changing? What are some things that could help you make this change?

Stage 3: Preparation

During the preparation stage, you might begin making small changes to prepare for a larger life change. For example, if losing weight is your goal, you might switch to lower-fat foods. If your goal is to quit smoking, you might switch brands or smoke less each day. You might also take some sort of direct action such as consulting a therapist, joining a health club, or reading self-help books.

If you are in the preparation stage, there are some steps you can take to improve your chances of successfully making a lasting life change. Gather as much information as you can about ways to change your behavior. Prepare a list of motivating statements. Write down your goals. Find resources such as support groups, counselors, or friends who can offer advice and encouragement.

Stage 4: Action

During the fourth stage of change, people begin taking direct action to accomplish their goals. Oftentimes, resolutions fail because the previous steps have not been given enough thought or time.

For example, many people make a New Year’s resolution to lose weight and immediately start a new exercise regimen, embark on a healthier diet, and cut back on snacks. These definitive steps are vital to success, but these efforts are often abandoned in a matter of weeks because the previous steps have been overlooked.

If you are currently taking action toward achieving a goal, congratulate and reward yourself for any positive steps you take. Reinforcement and support are extremely important in helping maintain positive steps toward change.

Stage 5: Maintenance

The maintenance phase of the stages of change model involves successfully avoiding former behaviors and keeping up new behaviors. If you are trying to maintain a new behavior, look for ways to avoid temptation. Try replacing old habits with more positive actions. Reward yourself when you are able to successfully avoid a relapse.

If you do falter, don’t be too hard on yourself or give up. Instead, remind yourself that it was just a minor setback. As you will learn in the next stage, relapses are common and are a part of the process of making a lifelong change.

Stage 6: Relapse

In any behavior change, relapses are a common occurrence. When you go through a relapse, you might experience feelings of failure, disappointment, and frustration.

The key to success is to not let these setbacks undermine your self-confidence. If you lapse back to an old behavior, take a hard look at why it happened. What triggered the relapse? What can you do to avoid these triggers in the future?

Consider reassessing your resources and techniques. Reaffirm your motivation, plan of action, and commitment to your goals. Also, make plans for how you will deal with any future temptations.

Resolutions fail when the proper preparation and actions are not taken. By approaching a goal with an understanding of how to best prepare, act, and maintain a new behavior, you will be more likely to succeed.

How to Get Help

Sometimes, no matter how determined a person is, the obstacles to change are nearly insurmountable without help—or at the very least, infinitely easier with it. For example, overcoming a substance misuse disorder generally requires the expertise of a specialist to help smooth the rehabilitation process and foster your mental and physical health. They can provide therapy, medication, and other proven supports. Talk with your healthcare provider about the options.

A Word From Verywell

Making a major change and sticking to it aren’t easy. You may be more successful in keeping your resolutions by using these steps. Many clinical programs for behavior change use the stages of change model for issues from smoking cessation to substance misuse recovery. In fact, if you go with a structured program to support your change, you might see the steps outlined here.

На основании Вашего запроса эти примеры могут содержать грубую лексику.

На основании Вашего запроса эти примеры могут содержать разговорную лексику.

Circulars had been released by the relevant authorities to follow up the judgements but did not appear to have led to any change in behaviour.

Компетентными органами власти были разосланы циркуляры относительно выполнения этих решений, однако, как представляется, это не позволило изменить такое поведение.

For instance, some developing countries are becoming dependent on individual donors, and increasingly vulnerable to any changes in their behaviour.

Например, некоторые развивающиеся страны попадают в зависимость от конкретных доноров и становятся все более уязвимыми от изменений в образе их действий.

Only first-time parents who were already concerned about the environment had a small increase in their desire to have a greener lifestyle, but this did not lead to any actual changes in behaviour.

Только у начинающих родителей, которые уже были обеспокоены состоянием окружающей среды, было небольшое увеличение их желания вести более зеленый образ жизни, но это не привело к каким-либо реальным изменениям в поведении.

‘This new research may help doctors to better understand any early changes in behaviour and should allow them to consider dementia as another potential explanation.

«Это новое исследование может помочь врачам лучше понять любые ранние изменения в поведении и должны позволить им рассмотреть вопрос о слабоумии в качестве другого потенциального объяснения.

Ничего не найдено для этого значения.

Результатов: 1003388. Точных совпадений: 1. Затраченное время: 262 мс

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Behavioural change theories are attempts to explain why human behaviours change. These theories cite environmental, personal, and behavioural characteristics as the major factors in behavioural determination. In recent years, there has been increased interest in the application of these theories in the areas of health, education, criminology, energy and international development with the hope that understanding behavioural change will improve the services offered in these areas. Some scholars have recently introduced a distinction between models of behavior and theories of change.^[1] Whereas models of behavior are more diagnostic and geared towards understanding the psychological factors that explain or predict a specific behavior, theories of change are more process-oriented and generally aimed at changing a given behavior. Thus, from this perspective, understanding and changing behavior are two separate but complementary lines of scientific investigation.

General theories and models[edit]

Each behavioural change theory or model focuses on different factors in attempting to explain behaviour change. Of the many that exist, the most prevalent are learning theories, social cognitive theory, theories of reasoned action and planned behaviour, transtheoretical model of behavior change, the health action process approach, and the BJ Fogg model of behavior change. Research has also been conducted regarding specific elements of these theories, especially elements like self-efficacy that are common to several of the theories.

Self-efficacy[edit]

Self-efficacy^[2] is an individual’s impression of their own ability to perform a demanding or challenging task such as facing an exam or undergoing surgery. This impression is based upon factors like the individual’s prior success in the task or in related tasks, the individual’s physiological state, and outside sources of persuasion. Self-efficacy is thought to be predictive of the amount of effort an individual will expend in initiating and maintaining a behavioural change, so although self-efficacy is not a behavioural change theory per se, it is an important element of many of the theories, including the health belief model, the theory of planned behaviour and the health action process approach.

In 1977, Albert Bandura performed two experimental tests on the self-efficacy theory. The first study asked whether systematic desensitization could effect changes in avoidance behavior by improving people’s expectations of their personal efficacy. The study found that «thorough extinction of anxiety arousal to visualized threats by desensitization treatment produced differential increases in self-efficacy. In accord with prediction, microanalysis of congruence between self-efficacy and performance showed self-efficacy to be a highly accurate predictor of degree of behavioral change following complete desensitization. The findings also lend support to the view that perceived self-efficacy mediates anxiety arousal.» In the second experiment, Bandura examined the process of efficacy and behavioral change in individuals suffering from phobias. He found that self-efficacy was a useful predictor of the amount of behavioral improvement that phobics could gain through mastering threatening thoughts.^[3]

Learning theories and behaviour analytic theories of changes[edit]

Social learning and social cognitive theory[edit]

According to the social learning theory^[4] (more recently expanded as social cognitive theory^[5]), behavioural change is determined by environmental, personal, and behavioural elements. Each factor affects each of the others. For example, in congruence with the principles of self-efficacy, an individual’s thoughts affect their behaviour and an individual’s characteristics elicit certain responses from the social environment. Likewise, an individual’s environment affects the development of personal characteristics as well as the person’s behavior, and an individual’s behaviour may change their environment as well as the way the individual thinks or feels. Social learning theory focuses on the reciprocal interactions between these factors, which are hypothesised to determine behavioral change.

Theory of reasoned action[edit]

The theory of reasoned action^[6][7] assumes that individuals consider a behaviour’s consequences before performing the particular behaviour. As a result, intention is an important factor in determining behaviour and behavioural change. According to Icek Ajzen, intentions develop from an individual’s perception of a behaviour as positive or negative together with the individual’s impression of the way their society perceives the same behaviour. Thus, personal attitude and social pressure shape intention, which is essential to performance of a behaviour and consequently behavioural change.

Theory of planned behaviour[edit]

In 1985, Ajzen expanded upon the theory of reasoned action, formulating the theory of planned behaviour,^[8] which also emphasises the role of intention in behaviour performance but is intended to cover cases in which a person is not in control of all factors affecting the actual performance of a behaviour. As a result, the new theory states that the incidence of actual behaviour performance is proportional to the amount of control an individual possesses over the behaviour and the strength of the individual’s intention in performing the behaviour. In his article, Further hypothesises that self-efficacy is important in determining the strength of the individual’s intention to perform a behaviour. In 2010, Fishbein and Ajzen introduced the reasoned action approach, the successor of the theory of planned behaviour.

Transtheoretical or stages of change model[edit]

According to the transtheoretical model^[9][10] of behavior change, also known as the stages of change model, states that there are five stages towards behavior change. The five stages, between which individuals may transition before achieving complete change, are precontemplation, contemplation, preparation for action, action, and maintenance. At the precontemplation stage, an individual may or may not be aware of a problem but has no thought of changing their behavior. From precontemplation to contemplation, the individual begins thinking about changing a certain behavior. During preparation, the individual begins his plans for change, and during the action stage the individual begins to exhibit new behavior consistently. An individual finally enters the maintenance stage once they exhibit the new behavior consistently for over six months. A problem faced with the stages of change model is that it is very easy for a person to enter the maintenance stage and then fall back into earlier stages. Factors that contribute to this decline include external factors such as weather or seasonal changes, and/or personal issues a person is dealing with.

Health action process approach[edit]

The health action process approach (HAPA)^[11] is designed as a sequence of two continuous self-regulatory processes, a goal-setting phase (motivation) and a goal-pursuit phase (volition). The second phase is subdivided into a pre-action phase and an action phase. Motivational self-efficacy, outcome-expectancies and risk perceptions are assumed to be predictors of intentions. This is the motivational phase of the model. The predictive effect of motivational self-efficacy on behaviour is assumed to be mediated by recovery self-efficacy, and the effects of intentions are assumed to be mediated by planning. The latter processes refer to the volitional phase of the model.

Fogg Behavior Model[edit]

The Fogg Behavior Model (FBM)^[12] is a design behavior change model introduced by BJ Fogg. This model posits that behavior is composed of three different factors: motivation, ability and a prompt. Under the FBM, for any person (user) to succeed at behavior change needs to be motivated, have the ability to perform the behavior and needs a trigger to perform this behavior. The next are the definitions of each of the elements of the BFM:

Motivation[edit]

BJ Fogg does not provide a definition of motivation but instead defines different motivators:

• Pleasure/Pain: These motivators produce a response immediately and although powerful these are not ideal. Boosting motivation could be achieved by embodying pain or pleasure.
• Hope/fear: Both these motivators have a delayed response and are the anticipation of a future positive outcome (hope) or negative outcome (fear). As an example people joining a dating website hope to meet other people.
• Social acceptance/rejection: People are motivated by behaviors that increase or preserve their social acceptance.

Ability[edit]

This factor refers to the self-efficacy perception at performing a target behavior. Although low ability is undesirable it may be unavoidable: «We are fundamentally lazy,» according to BJ Fogg. In such case behavior change is approached not through learning but instead by promoting target behaviors for which the user has a high ability. Additionally BJ Fogg listed several elements or dimensions that characterize high ability or simplicity of performing a behavior:

• Time: The user has the time to perform the target behavior or the time taken is very low.
• Money: The user has enough financial resources for pursuing the behavior. In some cases money can buy time.
• Physical effort: Target behaviors that require physical effort may not be simple enough to be performed.
• Brain cycles: Target behaviors that require high cognitive resources may not be simple hence undesirable for behavior change.
• Social deviance: These include behaviors that make the user socially deviant. These kind of behaviors are not simple.
• Non-routine: Any behavior that incurs disrupting a routine is considered not simple. Simple behaviors are usually part of routines and hence easy to follow.

Triggers[edit]

Triggers are reminders that may be explicit or implicit about the performance of a behavior. Examples of triggers can be alarms, text messages or advertisement, triggers are usually perceptual in nature but may also be intrinsic. One of the most important aspects of a trigger is timing as only certain times are best for triggering certain behaviors. As an example if a person is trying to go to the gym everyday, but only remembers about packing clothing once out of the house it is less likely that this person will head back home and pack. In contrast if an alarm sounds right before leaving the house reminding about packing clothing, this will take considerably less effort. Although the original article does not have any references for the reasoning or theories behind the model, some of its elements can be traced to social psychology theories, e.g., the motivation and ability factors and its success or failure are related to Self-efficacy.

Education[edit]

Behavioural change theories can be used as guides in developing effective teaching methods. Since the goal of much education is behavioural change, the understanding of behaviour afforded by behavioural change theories provides insight into the formulation of effective teaching methods that tap into the mechanisms of behavioural change. In an era when education programs strive to reach large audiences with varying socioeconomic statuses, the designers of such programs increasingly strive to understand the reasons behind behavioural change in order to understand universal characteristics that may be crucial to program design.

In fact, some of the theories, like the social learning theory and theory of planned behaviour, were developed as attempts to improve health education. Because these theories address the interaction between individuals and their environments, they can provide insight into the effectiveness of education programs given a specific set of predetermined conditions, like the social context in which a program will be initiated. Although health education is still the area in which behavioural change theories are most often applied, theories like the stages of change model have begun to be applied in other areas like employee training and developing systems of higher education.

Criminology[edit]

Empirical studies in criminology support behavioural change theories.^[13] At the same time, the general theories of behavioural change suggest possible explanations to criminal behaviour and methods of correcting deviant behaviour. Since deviant behaviour correction entails behavioural change, understanding of behavioural change can facilitate the adoption of effective correctional methods in policy-making. For example, the understanding that deviant behaviour like stealing may be learned behaviour resulting from reinforcers like hunger satisfaction that are unrelated to criminal behaviour can aid the development of social controls that address this underlying issue rather than merely the resultant behaviour.

Specific theories that have been applied to criminology include the social learning and differential association theories. Social learning theory’s element of interaction between an individual and their environment explains the development of deviant behaviour as a function of an individual’s exposure to a certain behaviour and their acquaintances, who can reinforce either socially acceptable or socially unacceptable behaviour. Differential association theory, originally formulated by Edwin Sutherland, is a popular, related theoretical explanation of criminal behaviour that applies learning theory concepts and asserts that deviant behaviour is learned behaviour.

Energy[edit]

Recent years have seen an increased interest in energy consumption reduction based on behavioural change, be it for reasons of climate change mitigation or energy security. The application of behavioural change theories in the field of energy consumption behaviour yields interesting insights. For example, it supports criticism of a too narrow focus on individual behaviour and a broadening to include social interaction, lifestyles, norms and values as well as technologies and policies—all enabling or constraining behavioural change.^[14]

Methods[edit]

Besides the models and theories of behavior change there are methods for promoting behavior change. Among them one of the most widely used is Tailoring or personalization.

Tailoring[edit]

Tailoring refers to methods for personalizing communications intended to generate higher behavior change than non personalized ones.^[15] There are two main claims for why tailoring works: Tailoring may improve preconditions for message processing and tailoring may improve impact by altering starting behavioral determinants of goal outcomes. The different message processing mechanisms can be summarized into: Attention, Effortful processing, Emotional processing and self-reference.

• Attention: Tailored messages are more likely to be read and remembered
• Effortful processing: Tailored messages elicit careful consideration of persuasive arguments and more systematic utilization of the receivers own schemas and memories. This could also turn out damaging because this careful consideration does increase counterarguing, evaluations of credibility and other processes that lessens message effects.
• Peripheral emotion/processing: tailoring could be used to create an emotional response such as fear, hope or anxiety. Since positive emotions tend to reduce effortful processing and negative emotions enhance it, emotion arousal could elicit varying cognitive processing.
• Self-reference: This mechanism promotes the comparison between actual and ideal behaviors and reflection.

Behavioral determinants of goal outcomes are the different psychological and social constructs that have a direct influence on behavior. The three most used mediators in tailoring are attitude, perception of performance and self efficacy. Although results are largely positive they are not consistent and more research on the elements that make tailoring work is necessary.

Objections[edit]

Behavioural change theories are not universally accepted. Criticisms include the theories’ emphases on individual behaviour and a general disregard for the influence of environmental factors on behaviour. In addition, as some theories were formulated as guides to understanding behaviour while others were designed as frameworks for behavioural interventions, the theories’ purposes are not consistent. Such criticism illuminates the strengths and weaknesses of the theories, showing that there is room for further research into behavioural change theories.

See also[edit]

• Behavior change method
• Behavior change (public health)
• Lifestyle medicine
• Social and behavior change communication

References[edit]

• #1

Hi,

How would you call someone who often change his behaviour . I mean from day to another she’s quite moody ! How would you call this person who always change her mind ?

Thank you,

Claude.

elroy

Moderator: EHL, Arabic, Hebrew, German(-Spanish)

• #3

claude23 said:

Hi,

How would you call someone who often change his behaviour . I mean from day to another she’s quite moody ! How would you call this person who always change her mind ?

Thank you,

Claude.

Hi Claude.

You could call her ‘temperamental’, ‘moody’, ‘unpredictable’.

If she’s always changing her mind she could be ‘indecisive’, ‘uncertain’, ‘undecided’.

There are many more adjectives.

You could simply say, ‘She’s a woman!’

Regards
LRV

• #4

Streaking , gloomy or sullen ! I think they are close (?) you can use moody it would be my choice to describe a person who changes his mood very often.

• #5

la reine victoria said:

Hi Claude.

You could call her ‘temperamental’, ‘moody’, ‘unpredictable’.

If she’s always changing her mind she could be ‘indecisive’, ‘uncertain’, ‘undecided’.

There are many more adjectives.

You could simply say, ‘She’s a woman!’

Regards
LRV

Ouch, la reine victoria! Claude, you could also say that she has unpredictable mood swings.

elroy

Moderator: EHL, Arabic, Hebrew, German(-Spanish)

• #6

rsweet said:

Ouch, la reine victoria! Claude, you could also say that she has unpredictable mood swings.

But we’re not talking about changes in mood — but rather, those who change their mind often.

There is a difference between the two.

• #7

More adjectives, generally though of as feminine: Tempestuous, Petulant, capricious, flaky, fickle, flighty

And some masculine equivalents: Mercurial, eccentric.

And universally: Volatile, temperamental, impulsive

And for someone who changes for purposes of fitting in or getting along: A

cameleon

chameleon.

• #8

elroy said:

But we’re not talking about changes in mood — but rather, those who change their mind often.

There is a difference between the two.

The questioner asks about both.

How would you call someone who often change his behaviour . I mean from day to another she’s quite moody ! How would you call this person who always change her mind ?

Indecisive

for changing one’s

mind.
Inconsistent

for changing one’s

behaviour.

elroy

Moderator: EHL, Arabic, Hebrew, German(-Spanish)

• #9

nycphotography said:

Two more adjectives, generally though of as feminine: Tempestuous, Petulent.

And some masculine equivalents: Mercurial, eccentric.

And universally: Volatile.

And for someone who changes for purposes of fitting in or getting along: a cameleon.

Except for «chameleon» and «mercurial,» I don’t really think any of these work.

«Tempestuous» to me means «violent, turbulent, stormy.»
«Petulant» means «irritable, peevish, irascible.»
«Eccentric» means «strange, peculiar, unorthodox.»
«Volatile» means «prone to violence, explosive.»

None of the above necessarily refers to someone who changes his mind a lot.

elroy

Moderator: EHL, Arabic, Hebrew, German(-Spanish)

• #10

maxiogee said:

The questioner asks about both.

Indecisive

for changing one’s

mind.
Inconsistent

for changing one’s

behaviour.

Oops — I misread the question. I thought she was answering her own question by saying that one who changes his behavior is «moody» (which I think works fine) as a pretext before asking the follow-up question about someone who changes his mind a lot.

• #11

elroy said:

Except for «cameleon» and «mercurial,» I don’t really think any of these work.

«Tempestuous» to me means «violent, turbulent, stormy.»
«Petulant» means «irritable, peevish, irascible.»
«Eccentric» means «strange, peculiar, unorthodox.»
«Volatile» means «prone to violence, explosive.»

None of the above necessarily refers to someone who changes his mind a lot.

«Tempestuous» to me means «violent, turbulent, stormy.»
People who live violent, turbulent, stormy lives, generally do so because they change the minds and their moods frequently, rather a lot like the weather.

«Petulant» means «irritable, peevish, irascible.»
People who are peevish tend to be «contrarian», which tends to cause them to change their minds a lot so as to remain contrary.

«Eccentric» means «strange, peculiar, unorthodox.»
Hmm. Maybe. And yet most «eccentric» men are seen as somewhat capricious, no?

«Volatile» means «prone to violence, explosive.»
See, tempestuous above.

In various contexts, in various ways, each of those words may be fitting for a highly variable person. Of course, they have to be applied appropriately to the context and people involved.

• #12

Whimsical, if you wish to be lighthearted.
Devious, if you wish to go towards the other end of the spectrum.

(Incidentally, I see from the original post that this person also changed his sex.
And while I’m being incidental, I didn’t know of cameleon as an alternative to chameleon until today.)

• #13

Mr.Blue said:

Streaking , gloomy or sullen ! I think they are close (?) you can use moody it would be my choice to describe a person who changes his mood very often.

Sorry to disagree Mr Blue.

gloomy or sullen refer to a person’s mood at a given point in time, not to the fact that they are always behaving differently from one day to the next.

Is ‘streaking’ an Australianism? I’ve never heard it used in the UK, apart from running naked across rugby pitches, etc.

La Reine V

elroy

Moderator: EHL, Arabic, Hebrew, German(-Spanish)

• #14

nycphotography said:

In various contexts, in various ways, each of those words may be fitting for a highly variable person. Of course, they have to be applied appropriately to the context and people involved.

Agreed. I was just being skeptical because I didn’t think that the words on their own referred to the person’s variability (cf. «mercurial» and «chameleon»).

Also, as you’ll notice in post #10, I had misunderstood the question to be exclusively referring to those who change their mind as opposed to those who change their mood. Including moodswings does put a different spin on things.

• #15

panjandrum said:

Whimsical, if you wish to be lighthearted.
Devious, if you wish to go towards the other end of the spectrum.

(Incidentally, I see from the original post that this person also changed his sex.
And while I’m being incidental, I didn’t know of cameleon as an alternative to chameleon until today.)

I didn’t either! (headed off to edit yet again…….)

• #16

Maybe we should add «fickle» to the mix?

elroy

Moderator: EHL, Arabic, Hebrew, German(-Spanish)

• #18

Ah…I like «fickle»! I think it was on the tip of my tongue — well done, Rsweet!

Another word that comes to mind is «vacillate,» which, albeit not an adjective, works as well.

• #19

«How would you call someone who often change his behaviour . I mean from day to another she’s quite moody ! How would you call this person who always change her mind ?»

I wouldn’t call her at all.

• #20

Serendipity brings up a good point, Claude. In any European language with which I have a slight familiarity, «How» is often used where an English speaker would say «What.» Pardon the lack of punctuation, but «Comment s’appelle,» «Como se llama,» or «Wie heisst,» but in English «What (and not ‘how’) is it called.»

• #21

CAMullen said:

Serendipity brings up a good point, Claude. In any European language with which I have a slight familiarity, «How» is often used where an English speaker would say «What.» Pardon the lack of punctuation, but «Comment s’appelle,» «Como se llama,» or «Wie heisst,» but in English «What (and not ‘how’) is it called.»

Agreed CAMullen.

Claude should have said ‘How would you describe’ not ‘how would you call’.

I think Surendipity was giving a ‘tongue-in-cheek’ answer. Not worth bothering with such a girl.

LRV

• #22

But we’re not talking about changes in mood — but rather, those who change their mind often.

There is a difference between the two.

We can even call her capricious.

• #24

But we’re not talking about changes in mood — but rather, those who change their mind often.

There is a difference between the two.

The word you are «all» looking for is «fickle».

• #25

Fickle-minded: phrase for the one changing mind frequently.