Habits
Year of publication
2021
Authors
Hagger, Martin S.; Rebar, Amanda L.
Abstract
Researchers and practitioners in health contexts are interested in breaking “bad” habits and promoting health‐promoting habits. Habits are impulse‐driven behavioral responses that occur beyond an individual's awareness. Dual‐process theories of health behavior conceptualize habit as part of an “impulsive” pathway to action in which behavior is a function of responses to cues and prompts learned and reinforced over time, contrasted with a “reflective” pathway in which behavior is enacted after deliberative evaluation of its merits and consequences. Strong relations between cues and action make “bad” habits difficult to break but also present an opportunity to promote sustained behavior change if healthy habits can be developed. Research suggests that breaking unhealthy habits requires high motivation and effective self‐regulatory skills so that individuals can override strong cue‐dependent responses. Testing the efficacy of intervention strategies to break “bad” habits and promote healthy habits is an important avenue for future research.
Show moreOrganizations and authors
University of Jyväskylä
Hagger Martin
Publication type
Publication format
Article
Parent publication type
Compendium
Article type
Other article
Audience
ScientificPeer-reviewed
Peer-ReviewedMINEDU's publication type classification code
A3 Book section, Chapters in research booksPublication channel information
Parent publication name
The Wiley Encyclopedia of Health Psychology, Volume 2 : The Social Bases of Health Behavior
Parent publication editors
Sweeney, Kate; Robbins, Megan L.; Cohen, Lee M.
Publisher
Pages
177-182
ISBN
Publication forum
Publication forum level
2
Open access
Open access in the publisher’s service
No
Self-archived
No
Other information
Fields of science
Health care science; Public health care science, environmental and occupational health; Psychology
Keywords
[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]
Publication country
United Kingdom
Internationality of the publisher
International
Language
English
International co-publication
Yes
Co-publication with a company
No
DOI
10.1002/9781119057840.ch64
The publication is included in the Ministry of Education and Culture’s Publication data collection
Yes