Glossary
Information about antecedents
What is information about antecedents?
Information about antecedents means providing information about events or conditions that reliably precede a behavior. These can include situations, feelings, thoughts, or interactions.
What counts as an antecedent?
An antecedent is a predictor or preceding condition; identifying one does not by itself prove that it causes the behavior. Developing a strategy to manage the pattern is an additional step. The time order distinguishes antecedents from consequences: an antecedent comes before the behavior, while a consequence follows it.
Illustrative example
A person is shown a record of their unplanned purchases: many followed browsing a shopping app during the commute home. This identifies a situation to examine. Choosing another activity for the journey or removing the app would be separate changes, not the information itself.
Why it matters
The original BCT Taxonomy v1 definitions identify this as technique 4.2. Looking at what happens before an action can reveal a useful place to intervene. But a pattern is a starting point, not proof that changing the preceding event will solve the problem. The taxonomy describes providing the information; the effect of acting on it needs to be tested separately.