Reflections on non-WEIRD behavior change and the next generation of physical activity research: a commentary on Simpson et al., (2025)

This commentary responds to Simpson et al.’s (2025) call to broaden health behavior change (BC) research in physical activity (PA) beyond WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialised, Rich, Democratic) paradigms. Drawing from narrative, discursive, and post-qualitative traditions, we reflect on the conceptual and historical meanings of “WEIRD” and explore its limitations. We propose three transgressive directions for future BC and PA research: humility, reflexivity, and attention to wyrd ways of life. These reflections invite researchers to move beyond the ‘same old’ assumptions and consider culturally situated, relational, and decolonizing approaches that reimagine what BC and PA conceptions and research can mean, do, and become.