Our new (£0) review summarises the psychology of #habit and how #habitchange can – and can't – change behaviour in the real-world
compass.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
We start from a simple premise:
Habit ≠ habitual behaviour
This is key to understanding habits – and here’s why...
🧵
1/x
compass.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
We start from a simple premise:
Habit ≠ habitual behaviour
This is key to understanding habits – and here’s why...
🧵
1/x
PRINCIPLE 1: Habit ≠ habitual behaviour
A habit is an association that we’ve learned between a situation (a cue) and something we usually do in that situation (a response)
We form a habit by repeatedly doing the response when we encounter the cue
tandfonline.com
2/x
A habit is an association that we’ve learned between a situation (a cue) and something we usually do in that situation (a response)
We form a habit by repeatedly doing the response when we encounter the cue
tandfonline.com
2/x
In my case, since May 2022, I’ve habitually worked-out at home every morning
Cue = wake up, response = do a workout
3/x
Cue = wake up, response = do a workout
3/x
When we encounter the cue, the association generates an unconscious ‘push’ – an ‘impulse’ – to do the response we’ve learned to associate with that cue
The impulse can trigger the response without us thinking about what we’re doing
tandfonline.com
4/x
The impulse can trigger the response without us thinking about what we’re doing
tandfonline.com
4/x
My habit = association between waking up and doing a workout
My habitual behaviour = doing a workout, which is triggered by an impulse that is automatically activated when I wake up
5/x
My habitual behaviour = doing a workout, which is triggered by an impulse that is automatically activated when I wake up
5/x
Recap:
Habit = an association. Habit causes behaviour
Impulse = an unconscious ‘drive’ to do a specific action
Habitual behaviour = the specific action generated by a habit impulse. Habitual behaviour is caused by habit
6/x
Habit = an association. Habit causes behaviour
Impulse = an unconscious ‘drive’ to do a specific action
Habitual behaviour = the specific action generated by a habit impulse. Habitual behaviour is caused by habit
6/x
BUT.
The habit impulse is only one of many impulses competing to guide our behaviour at any one time
Impulses are like babies, each crying for our attention
We can only tend to one of those babies at any one time
7/x
The habit impulse is only one of many impulses competing to guide our behaviour at any one time
Impulses are like babies, each crying for our attention
We can only tend to one of those babies at any one time
7/x
Impulses are generated by many sources other than habits – e.g. intentions, plans, emotions...
We act in line with whichever impulse cries the loudest at any given moment
h/t @robertjwest PRIME Theory
8/x
We act in line with whichever impulse cries the loudest at any given moment
h/t @robertjwest PRIME Theory
8/x
@robertjwest Habit impulses generally cry loudest, which is why they’re helpful – they tell us to do the things we normally do, even when other impulses are crying out for us
But sometimes, other impulses cry louder
9/x
But sometimes, other impulses cry louder
9/x
@robertjwest When I wake up, my habit impulse tells me to work out, but another impulse tells me to stay in bed, another impulse tells me to write Twitter deep-dives about new papers, etc
My habit impulse usually cries loudest, so I work out
But today I went with the Twitter option
10/x
My habit impulse usually cries loudest, so I work out
But today I went with the Twitter option
10/x
PRINCIPLE 2. Habits don’t always lead to habitual behaviour
If other, non-habit impulses cry louder, we can stop ourselves acting habitually and do something else instead
11/x
If other, non-habit impulses cry louder, we can stop ourselves acting habitually and do something else instead
11/x
If someone offered me £1m to stop working out when I wake up, I’d prioritise the impulse to NOT work out despite my 2-year habit
(£10k would probably do it, tbh)
12/x
(£10k would probably do it, tbh)
12/x
And if habits ≠ habitual behaviour, then...
PRINCIPLE 3. ‘Making a habit’ means forming an association that will help keep you on the right track - but it doesn’t guarantee that a new behaviour will stick
13/x
PRINCIPLE 3. ‘Making a habit’ means forming an association that will help keep you on the right track - but it doesn’t guarantee that a new behaviour will stick
13/x
Other momentary impulses may derail you
Maybe tomorrow I’ll have to unexpectedly go to work early, or be so hungry I must eat rather than work out, despite my morning work-out habit
14/x
Maybe tomorrow I’ll have to unexpectedly go to work early, or be so hungry I must eat rather than work out, despite my morning work-out habit
14/x
The problem here is that, if you’re derailed just once, that can make you feel you've failed and lead you to abandon the new behaviour altogether
It doesn’t have to, but one slip can cause a cascade of negative emotions that unravels your hard work
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
15/x
It doesn’t have to, but one slip can cause a cascade of negative emotions that unravels your hard work
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
15/x
To make a new behaviour stick, it’s best to form a habit AND have a back-up plan for drowning out the cries of other noisy impulses
(e.g. avoid temptations, or form ‘coping plans’ for dealing with temptations)
doi.org
16/x
(e.g. avoid temptations, or form ‘coping plans’ for dealing with temptations)
doi.org
16/x
And what about breaking bad habits?
For example, I like to eat cookies with a cup of tea – how do I break that #habit?
(Habit: association between having a cup of tea [cue] and eating cookies [response])
17/x
For example, I like to eat cookies with a cup of tea – how do I break that #habit?
(Habit: association between having a cup of tea [cue] and eating cookies [response])
17/x
Breaking a habit can mean several things
It can mean either modifying a habit association, or blocking the habit from being translated into habitual behaviour
Here are 4 ways to ‘break a habit’:
18/x
It can mean either modifying a habit association, or blocking the habit from being translated into habitual behaviour
Here are 4 ways to ‘break a habit’:
18/x
Habit cue discontinuity = avoid the cue, so the habit impulse is not activated
= Don’t let the habit impulse cry in the first place
19/x
= Don’t let the habit impulse cry in the first place
19/x
Reduce behavioural accessibility = add friction; make it difficult to do the response when the impulse is activated
= Make it harder to tend to the habit impulse.
(People generally don’t like effort)
@chevalboris
journals.lww.com
20/x
= Make it harder to tend to the habit impulse.
(People generally don’t like effort)
@chevalboris
journals.lww.com
20/x
@chevalboris Habit inhibition = stop yourself from doing the response when you encounter the cue
= Put on earmuffs and ignore the cries of the habit impulse
21/x
= Put on earmuffs and ignore the cries of the habit impulse
21/x
@chevalboris For a tea-and-cookies habit:
Cue discontinuity = Don’t drink tea
Reduce accessibility = Don’t buy cookies
Inhibition = Tell yourself ‘I will not eat cookies when I drink tea’
22/x
Cue discontinuity = Don’t drink tea
Reduce accessibility = Don’t buy cookies
Inhibition = Tell yourself ‘I will not eat cookies when I drink tea’
22/x
These strategies stop habit from translating into habitual behaviour, but they may leave the underlying habit association intact
And that can cause problems
23/x
And that can cause problems
23/x
Even if you can successfully ignore the habit impulse on several occasions, there may be an occasion when you’re tired, stressed, or distracted, and you give in to the habit impulse
Then that cascade of negativity happens
doi.org
24/x
Then that cascade of negativity happens
doi.org
24/x
In principle, what's best is:
Habit substitution = swap out a bad habit for a good one
= ensure that when the impulse cries out, you’re happy to tend to it – it’s helping you achieve what you want to achieve
(Maybe eat low-sugar cookies instead)
25/x
Habit substitution = swap out a bad habit for a good one
= ensure that when the impulse cries out, you’re happy to tend to it – it’s helping you achieve what you want to achieve
(Maybe eat low-sugar cookies instead)
25/x
Which habit-breaking strategy is ‘best’ will depend on your habit, you, and your circumstances
e.g.
if you can’t avoid the cue, cue discontinuity won’t work
If you can’t make the behaviour harder, reducing accessibility is out of the equation
26/x
e.g.
if you can’t avoid the cue, cue discontinuity won’t work
If you can’t make the behaviour harder, reducing accessibility is out of the equation
26/x
Our hope is that articulating these principles will ensure behaviour change intervention developers have realistic expectations of what habit-based interventions can achieve
26/x
26/x
e.g. forming a habit will not sustain a 'good' behaviour forever. Motivational boosters may be needed to keep people on track
Avoiding a cue may not prevent relapse into 'bad' habits in future
27/x
Avoiding a cue may not prevent relapse into 'bad' habits in future
27/x
That’s a quick tour of the paper, but there’s so much more to our review than this – we also cover issues around habitual instigation and execution, habits versus intentions, behavioural complexity
28/x
28/x
Download the paper free here:
compass.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
@PippaLally @AmandaRebar @SurreyPsych & the Twitter-free Sanne de Wit
fin/x
compass.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
@PippaLally @AmandaRebar @SurreyPsych & the Twitter-free Sanne de Wit
fin/x
Loading suggestions...