The secret habits that control your life | Wendy Wood

Summary

Behavioral scientist Wendy Wood explores the psychology of habits, emphasizing their subconscious nature and impact on human behavior. She discusses a study where altering the speed of elevator doors prompted a habit change towards using stairs, illustrating the concept of 'Friction' in habit formation. Wood highlights the role of rewards and dopamine in habit formation, the importance of environmental cues, and how rituals and habits provide a sense of control and meaning in life, especially for high-level athletes.

Takeaways

• 🐾 Habits have been undervalued in psychology, often seen as too simplistic for human behavior.
• 🧠 Despite popular belief, habits don't involve much conscious thought, similar to how dogs learn.
• 👩‍🔬 Wendy Wood, a behavioral scientist, studies habits and their difficulty in changing.
• 🏢 An office building study showed that simply convincing people to use stairs didn't work, but a practical change (slowing elevator doors) did.
• 🚶‍♂️ The study demonstrated that habits can form and persist even after the initial change (elevator speed) is reverted.
• 🔧 'Friction' in psychology refers to barriers like distance, time, and effort that influence our habits.
• 💡 Our habits are stored in a memory system that is resistant to change, emphasizing the need for repeated behavior to alter habits.
• 🌟 Rewards and dopamine play a crucial role in reinforcing behaviors and forming habits.
• 🏡 Changing habits requires an environment that supports the desired behaviors, as seen with professional chefs preparing their stations.
• 🏆 Rituals and habits are intertwined, providing a sense of control and confidence, as exemplified by professional athletes.
• 🧘‍♂️ Being in familiar environments where habits are established allows for effective multitasking and a deeper understanding of our surroundings.

Q & A

What is the general perception of habits in psychology?

Habits have a somewhat negative reputation in psychology, as they were initially viewed as too limited to apply to human performance due to their association with the unconscious learning observed in animals like dogs.

How does Wendy Wood define habits in the context of human behavior?

Wendy Wood, a behavioral scientist, describes habits as behaviors that people act on more than they are aware of, which do not involve much conscious thought and are difficult to change.

What was the initial approach taken by researchers to encourage the use of stairs in an office building?

The initial approach was to put up signs promoting the health benefits of taking the stairs and discouraging the use of elevators, but this had no effect on people's behavior.

What creative solution did researchers implement to reduce elevator use?

Researchers slowed the closing of the elevator door by 16 seconds, which was enough to dissuade people and reduced elevator use by a third.

How did the change in elevator door speed affect the long-term behavior of the office workers?

After the elevator door speed was returned to normal, people continued to take the stairs because they had formed a habit, demonstrating the power of forming new behaviors.

What is the term used by psychologists to describe barriers to performing a behavior?

Psychologists refer to these barriers as 'Friction,' which includes factors like distance, time, and effort that influence the repetition and formation of habits.

Why do people often believe that going to the gym is due to their concern for fitness and willpower?

People attribute gym attendance to conscious reasons like fitness concerns and willpower because it feels like a rational way to change habits, despite habits being largely unconscious and formed through repetition and rewards.

How are habits stored in our memory system according to the script?

Habits are stored in a memory system that we do not have access to, which is designed to secure the most important information and protect it from change.

What role does dopamine play in the formation of habits?

Dopamine is released in the brain when we get a reward, which motivates us to repeat behaviors, leading to the formation of habits.

Why is it important to consider the environment when trying to change habits?

The environment plays a crucial role in behavior change because habits reorganize the way we store information in memory and form associations between contexts, making it easier to achieve goals when the environment supports them.

How do rituals and habits relate, and what benefits do they provide to professional athletes?

Rituals have a habit component and provide a sense of control and confidence to professional athletes because they involve repeated actions that are performed successfully, allowing them to effectively multitask and maintain focus.

Outlines

00:00

🧠 Understanding Habits and Their Impact on Behavior

This paragraph discusses the misconceptions surrounding habits in psychology and their true nature. Dr. Wendy Wood, a behavioral scientist, explains that habits are often overlooked due to the focus on creativity and conscious thought. However, she emphasizes that habits play a significant role in human behavior, operating without much conscious thought, much like in animals. Through research, it's shown that people rely on habits more than they realize. The example of an office building where the elevator door was slowed down to encourage stair use illustrates how habits can be formed and changed. The concept of 'Friction' is introduced as a barrier to behavior that influences habit formation. Dr. Wood also touches on the idea that habits are stored in a memory system that is protected from change, suggesting that changing habits requires repetition of new behaviors for a reward, which triggers dopamine release and reinforces the habit.

05:01

🏋️‍♂️ The Role of Rituals and Habits in High-Level Performance

In this paragraph, the focus shifts to the role of rituals and habits in the performance of professional athletes, using baseball players as an example. Rituals are described as automatic and habitual actions that provide a sense of control and confidence to athletes. The paragraph explains that rituals are effective because they are repeated successfully, leading to a sense of mastery. Furthermore, it discusses how being in familiar environments with established rituals allows for effective multitasking, as the automatic nature of habits frees up cognitive resources to focus on other tasks. The paragraph concludes by highlighting the broader significance of habits and rituals in providing meaning and structure to our lives.

Keywords

💡Habits

Habits are regular patterns of behavior that tend to be repeated automatically. In the video, habits are discussed as a significant part of human behavior, often formed unconsciously and difficult to change. The script uses the example of an office building where slowing the elevator door's closing speed led to the formation of a habit of taking the stairs, demonstrating how environmental 'friction' can influence habit formation.

💡Conscious Thought

Conscious thought refers to the deliberate mental process of thinking and reasoning. The video script mentions that habits do not involve much conscious thought, suggesting that they are more about automatic responses than deliberate decisions. This is illustrated by comparing human behavior to that of a dog, which, despite appearances, does not engage in much conscious thought.

💡Behavioral Science

Behavioral science is an interdisciplinary field that studies human behavior and the processes underlying it. Wendy Wood, introduced as a behavioral scientist, conducts research on habits, emphasizing the scientific study of why they are hard to change. This field is central to understanding the mechanisms behind habit formation and alteration as discussed in the video.

💡Friction

In the context of the video, 'friction' refers to the barriers or obstacles that can discourage a behavior, such as distance, time, and effort. The concept is used to explain how making an action more difficult (e.g., slowing an elevator door) can lead to a change in habitual behavior, such as choosing to take the stairs instead.

💡Dopamine

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter associated with reward and pleasure. The script explains that when a behavior is repeated and results in a reward, the brain releases dopamine, which reinforces the habit. This biochemical process is integral to understanding how habits are formed and sustained.

💡Repetition

Repetition is the act of repeating an action or behavior. According to the video, changing a habit requires the repetition of other behaviors in the same context until a new habit is formed. This concept is crucial for understanding how new habits can be established to replace old ones.

💡Rewards

Rewards in the video are defined as outcomes that motivate the repetition of behaviors, thereby leading to the formation of habits. The script explains that when a behavior results in a reward, such as feeling good after exercising, the brain releases dopamine, which reinforces the habit.

💡Memory System

The memory system mentioned in the script refers to the way the brain stores and retrieves information. Habits are stored in a part of the memory system that is not easily accessible, making them resistant to change. This concept is key to understanding why habits are hard to modify.

💡Rituals

Rituals are formal or habitual actions performed in a set sequence. The video discusses how rituals, which have a habitual component, provide a sense of control and meaning in life. Professional athletes are given as examples, using rituals before performing to enhance their sense of confidence and control.

💡Environment

Environment, in the context of the video, refers to the external factors and surroundings that can influence behavior and the formation of habits. The script suggests that an environment that supports the desired behavior can make it easier to achieve goals and establish new habits.

💡Multitasking

Multitasking is the ability to perform multiple tasks simultaneously. The video explains that when behaviors become habitual and no longer require conscious thought, they allow the individual to effectively multitask, as they can focus on other tasks without having to consciously think about the habitual action.

Highlights

Habits have been viewed negatively in psychology due to their association with limited cognitive processes.

Habits are often formed without much conscious thought, similar to how dogs learn.

People act on habits more than they realize, according to behavioral scientist Wendy Wood.

An experiment in a four-story office building demonstrated the power of habit formation through environmental changes.

Slowing the elevator door closing by 16 seconds significantly reduced elevator use and promoted stair usage.

Once a habit is formed, such as taking the stairs, it tends to persist even after the initial incentive is removed.

Friction, including distance, time, and effort, plays a crucial role in habit formation.

The common belief that exerting self-control can change habits is not supported by research.

Habits are stored in a memory system that is protected from change, making them difficult to alter.

Repetition of behaviors in a given context, leading to rewards, is key to habit formation.

Dopamine release in response to rewards is a critical factor in habit formation.

Behavior change requires working with the environment to facilitate the desired habits.

Habits can reorganize the way information is stored in memory, forming associations between contexts.

Professional chefs and athletes use rituals and habits to enhance performance and provide a sense of control.

Rituals, which have a habit component, can provide meaning and a sense of control in life.

High-level athletes use rituals to enhance their performance and confidence through repetition.

Familiar environments and routines allow for effective multitasking by freeing up cognitive resources.

Transcripts

- Habits kind of got a bad name in psychology.

We're all focused on how creative

and how amazing and how wonderful human minds are.

Because your dogs learn through habits,

they were viewed as too limited

to apply to human performance.

And it's not how we think about our behavior, right?

Habits don't involve much conscious thought,

your dog doesn't have much conscious thought.

I know it seems like they do, but they don't.

But people are pretty simple as well.

In research, we're able to show

that people act on habits

much more than we're aware of.

My name's Wendy Wood, and I'm a behavioral scientist.

I do research on habits

and why they're so difficult to change.

Back in the 1980s,

some researchers wanted to convince people

in a four-story office building to start using the stairs.

So they started just the way all of us would-

they started trying to convince people.

They put up signs:

"It's good to take the stairs."

"It's good for your health."

"It's bad to take the elevator.

Wastes energy!"

But the signs had no effect.

So, these very creative researchers decided,

"Okay, let's try something different."

They slowed the closing of the elevator door by 16 seconds.

And that was enough to dissuade people.

They reduced the elevator use by a third.

And the wonderful thing about the study is,

when they put the elevator door back to its original speed,

people kept taking the stairs

because they had formed a habit to take the stairs,

and they just stuck with it.

And it's an example

of what psychologists have called 'Friction'-

barriers to performing a behavior.

Distance, time, and effort are all friction.

Friction is really important

in determining what behaviors we repeat,

and so what behaviors become a habit.

We think we go to the gym

because we're concerned about fitness,

we're determined, we exert willpower.

So it feels like that's a good way

to start to change our habits, right?

Exert self-control, and our habits will then change.

But it doesn't work that way.

Our habits are stored

in a memory system that we don't have access to,

we can't fuss with.

It's a way of securing the most important information,

and protecting it from change.

And so, there's no way you can change that habit memory

except through repetition of other behaviors.

We repeat a behavior in a given context in the same way,

and we get some reward.

When we get a reward, our brain releases dopamine.

Rewards get us to repeat behaviors and form habits.

One of the really important things

about behavior change is

you have to work with what's around you.

Habits reorganize the way we store information in memory.

They form these associations between contexts.

Professional chefs set up their stations

before they start,

making sure they have all of the ingredients,

all of the utensils, pots and pans are there,

they've read through the recipe.

And it's a great metaphor for all of us

when we go about changing our behavior.

We really need an environment that would make it easier

to actually achieve our goals.

There's actually evidence

that our habits help give us meaning in life.

Rituals have a habit component.

Some of the rituals we perform

really are kind of automatic and habitual.

Professional athletes provide some of the best examples

of people who effectively use rituals.

Baseball players are really well known for this,

of having patterns of things they do before they go to bat.

And what rituals give high-level athletes

is a sense of control

because they have something they repeat,

they do it successfully.

So it really does give them a sense of confidence.

When we are in environments where we know what to do

and we feel comfortable doing them,

it allows us to effectively multitask.

When we've practiced one thing enough

so we don't have to think about it,

then we can do other things-

we can make sense out of our world.