Changing Circumstances, Disrupting Habits

The present research investigated the mechanisms guiding habitual behavior, specifically, the stimulus cues that trigger habit performance. When usual contexts for performance change, habits cannot be cued by recurring stimuli, and performance should be disrupted. Thus, the exercising, newspaper rea...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of personality and social psychology 2005-06, Vol.88 (6), p.918-933
Main Authors: Wood, Wendy, Tam, Leona, Witt, Melissa Guerrero
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Behavior
Behavior Change
Biological and medical sciences
College students
Contextual Associations
Cues
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Habits
Human
Humans
Intention
Life Change Events
Male
Miscellaneous
Personality
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Social behaviour
Social interaction
Social psychology
Student behaviour
Surveys and Questionnaires
Transfer Students
Universities
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Summary:The present research investigated the mechanisms guiding habitual behavior, specifically, the stimulus cues that trigger habit performance. When usual contexts for performance change, habits cannot be cued by recurring stimuli, and performance should be disrupted. Thus, the exercising, newspaper reading, and TV watching habits of students transferring to a new university were found to survive the transfer only when aspects of the performance context did not change (e.g., participants continued to read the paper with others). In some cases, the disruption in habits also placed behavior under intentional control so that participants acted on their current intentions. Changes in circumstances also affected the favorability of intentions, but changes in intentions alone could not explain the disruption of habits. Furthermore, regardless of whether contexts changed, nonhabitual behavior was guided by intentions.
ISSN:0022-3514
1939-1315
DOI:10.1037/0022-3514.88.6.918