What is ‘habit’, and how can it be used to understand and change health behaviour? Seminar

The term ‘habit’ - broadly defined as an automatic response to contexts, based on learned context-response associations - is commonly used to predict, understand and change health behaviour. This talk describes recent developments in habit theory and application, and argues that the concept has been inadequately conceptualised within health psychology.

A definition of habit as a process that automatically generates impulses towards action is outlined, and novel research directions arising from this definition discussed. A set of principles for applying habit-formation to the design and evaluation of health behaviour change interventions are offered, alongside evaluation of recent interventions that have used the habit-formation model as a strategy for changing health behaviour.