Ramifications of behavioural complexity for habit conceptualisation, promotion, and measurement

ABSTRACT

Behavioural theories, predictions, and interventions should be relevant to complex, real-world health behaviours and conditions. Habit theory and habit formation interventions show promise for predicting and promoting, respectively, longer-term behaviour change and maintenance than has been attained with theories and interventions focused only on deliberative behavioural factors. However, the concept of habit has largely been treated as uniform across different types of behaviours. In this conceptual review, we contend that the definitional aspects of habit differ at a conceptual level for simple versus more complex behaviours, with ramifications for prediction, promotion, and measurement of habits. Specifically, habits are defined as direct context-response associations learned through repeatedly rewarded responding – but what is meant by ‘response’ and ‘reward’ depends upon the complexity of the behaviour. We review literature that suggests (1) responses in complex habits have separable and substitutable components (vs a single and static, unitary component) and (2) rewards for complex habits are necessarily continued and intrinsic (vs temporary and extrinsic, respectively). We discuss some empirical and theoretical questions raised by these issues around behavioural complexity and habit. Lastly, we outline the ramifications of these issues for habit measurement (habit strength and habit formation) via self-report and objective measures.

KEYWORDS:

• Habit
• review
• behavioural complexity
• habit formation
• behaviour change
• behaviour maintenance

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 NB: Rewards may be consciously or non-consciously present; the nature of rewards that promote habit formation is discussed in a subsequent section. Not all definitions of habit explicitly mention the role of rewards, particularly in maintenance of a habit (e.g., Neal et al., 2006), but the role of rewards in habit formation has been a defining feature of habits since they were first studied by behaviourists (e.g., Skinner, 1953).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.