L.6 - Transdiagnostic Perspective Flashcards
(92 cards)
1
Q
What are the learning objectives?
A
- Offer a broad definition of compulsivity, as adopted in the ACD course [paraphrasing]
- Explain what a transdiagnostic approach entails and why it may be useful [paraphrasing]
- Offer a definition of ‘endophenotype’ [paraphrasing]
- Explain what the RDoC initiative of the NIMH entails [paraphrasing]
- Name and explain self-report measures (and their differences) for measuring real-world habits [paraphrasing and analyzing]
- Describe what implementation intentions (II’s) are and explain two working mechanisms [paraphrasing]
- Describe how II’s can be used to form new habits and break existing ones [paraphrasing]
- Explain the relevance of the difference between instigation and execution habits for habit-based interventions [analyzing]
- Describe and explain different components of habit-based interventions, their theoretical basis, and how they can support behavior change [paraphrasing and analyzing]
- Be able to predict the main driver of behavior (habits or intentions or both) depending on the level of self-control [analyzing]
- Name factors contributing to the effectiveness of II’s and habit-based interventions [paraphrasing]
- Think critically about the effectiveness of habit-based interventions [evaluating]
- Advise on how effective II’s should be formulated based on a case study [independent thinking]
- Provide logical/evidence-based arguments as to whether II’s can be succesfully applied to compulsive behavior in mental disorders [independent thinking]
2
Q
what is going to be in the exams?
A
- all lectures of the second block + questions from the first block
- from first block, no stand-alone questions, but more on the overlapping processes between addiction and the other disorders discussed later
! remind yourself of the main psychological and neurobiological processes that underlie substance use disorders, and interventions
! Look for commonalities (and differences) between SUD and the disorders in part 2 of the ACD course
> in the phenomenology, underlying (bottom-up and top-down) psychological processes and neurobiological processes, as well as interventions…
! Answer exam questions about TD processes
as specifically as you can
> e.g. say specifically which cognitive control funtion is involved and how it is impaired
3
Q
Background Information
What do habit-based interventions do?
A
- promote lasting behavior change by building desirable habits, or breaking undesired ones
> can be done through strategic planning (Implementation Intentions)
4
Q
Background Information
What are some self-report measures of habit?
A
- Self-Report Habit Index (SRHI)
> rate on a scale to what extent the behavior is something… (I do frequently, I do automatically, I do without thinking, …) - Self-Report Behavioural Automaticity Index
> 4-item subscale of the SRHI
> items 2, 5, 8, 10
(picture 1)
5
Q
Background Information
what are implementation intentions?
A
- people find it hard to bridge the intention-behavior gap (achieve their goals)
> the way in which goals are pursued plays an important role
→ in this lecture we look at implementation intentions (II) - IIs are “if-then” plans that help people achieve their goals
- this is done by specifying critical situations and liking these to the desired behavior
> e.g. “if I am hungry, I eat fruit” → works better than just having the general goal of eating healthier
> works especially well with eating habits, but also with studying, vitamin intake, recyling, …
6
Q
Background Information
Why do II work so well?
A
- II describe the desired stimulus-response habit
> a mental association is made between the critical cues and the desired behaviour, so that the behavior can be triggered automatically - the focus is on the critical cues, so that every opportunity to carry out the desired behavior is recognized and used
7
Q
What is the broad definition of Compulsivity?
A
- a compulsive behavior is continued despite the person being aware of the profound detrimental consequences (for their health, social relationships, professional functioning and well-being)
8
Q
What is the transdiagnostic perspective of compulsivity?
- what transdiagnostic processes will be focused on in the course?
A
- compulsivity is characteristic of substance abuse, but also of eating disorders and OCD
- compulsivity is here referred to as:
> common psychological/neurobiological processes that are thought to underlie behavior that is continued despite explicit knowledge of devastating negative consequences, in various disorders - in this course we’ll look at these transdiagnostic processes:
> learning processes (reinforcement vs punishment; pavlovian vs instrumental) [part 1]
> cognitive control processes
> neurobiological processes
9
Q
what does Endophenotype mean?
A
- it’s all the biological and psychological phenomena of a disorder believed to be in the causal chain between genetic contributions to a disorder and diagnosable symptoms of psychopathology
(picture 2) - they are part of the causal chain between genetics and “outside” behavior
10
Q
what is the RDoC initiative?
A
- Research Domain Criteria Initiative
- looks at underlying processes across disorders, and interactions between multiple risk and protective factors
> does not rely on categorical distinction between disorders - considers mental health and psychopathology in the context of major domains of psychological and neurobiological processes, rather than within established diagnostic categories
11
Q
What is the clinical relevance of Transdiagnostic perspective?
A
- might open new ways to explore development, maintenance and comorbidity of disorders
- might lead to new targets for prevention and treatment
12
Q
what is the intention behavior gap?
what does research show?
A
- the phenomenon that people have explicit decisions to change their behavior, but fail to take action
> e.g. all of Eli’s new year resolutions - medium-large change in intention → small-to-medium change in behavior
13
Q
intention-behavior gap vs motivational models
- are these models useful in changing behavior?
A
- the intention-behavior gap poses a challenge for motivational models
- according to these models:
> intention is the main determinant of behavior
> to change behavior, we must understand the factors that influence behavior
1- Health Belief Model
2- Theory of Reasoned Action
3- Theory of Planned Behavior
= interventions based on this models have a very positive effect on motivation and intention, but not great effect on actual behavior
14
Q
Theory of planned behavior
A
- looks at attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control as determinants of intentions (which then determines behavior)
- to change behavior, you should first target the positive/negative attitudes towards the behavior, social pressure, and guide people to have control over it
(picture 3)
- Intention
> the motivation required to perform a particular behavior
> is the proximal determinant of behavior
- Attitudes
> general positive/negative evaluation of behavior
- Subjective norms
> global perception of socia pressure
- Perceived behavioral control (related to self-efficacy)
15
Q
Study on the intention-behavior gap
A
- they asked students about intentions to buy fast food in near future
> in people that do not buy fast food habitually, the intentions were a good predictor of actual behavior
> in people who often buy fast food, their intentions were not good predictors of future behavior
(picture 4)
→ as behavior repeatedly takes place, habit increases and becomes a better predictor of behavior than behavioral intentions
16
Q
Quick reminder - how are habits formed?
A
- Law of effect (Thornndike, 1911)
→ habits are instrumental responses that are triggered by stimuli, and that do not depend on the current motivation for the outcome of the behavior - research shows that hald of our daily behaviors is performed in teh dame manner in the same situations (habitual)
= habits take up a major part of our day, for better or worse
17
Q
Reminder - what are the advantages and disadvantages of habits?
A
- habits are efficient (easy, fast, low effort), but inflexible
(picture 5)
18
Q
MC1 - Which test can be used to determine whether behavior is habitual?
1. progressive ratio paradigm
2. outcome-devaluation test
3. conditioned approach paradigm
A
- outcome-devaluation test
→ It allows for well-controlled experimental investigation of habitual vs goal-directed action control in the lab
? how can we study real-life habits?
19
Q
How can we investigate real-life habits?
A
- Field experiment
- pop-corn experiment (people that habitually eat popcorn in the cinema, ate the same amount regardless of fresh or stale, the others more fresh; when context changed, alll more fresh) - Self-report measures
20
Q
- Self-report measures
Self-report habit index (SRHI)
A
- asks people about the subjective experience of doind something out of habit
- there are around 12 questions, and people have to grade each question 1-7 based on their behavior
- reflects on:
> repetition of behavior (…often)
> automaticity (…without thinking)
> identity (…that’s typically me)
21
Q
- Self-report measures
Self-report Behavioral Automaticity Index (SRBAI)
A
- 4-item questionnaire
- Behavior X is something…
> I do automatically
> I do without having to consciously remember
> I do without thinking
> I start doing before I realize I’m doing it
22
Q
Study - how did they study the role of habits in snacking?
what were the results?
A
- 1100 participants
- Phase 1: habit strength measure (SRHI) and intention regarding snacking + Power of Food questionnaire
- Phase 2 (1 month later): 7-day snack diary
Result: habit strength is the best predictor of future unhealthy snacking
23
Q
what can the self-report measures be used for?
A
- studying the role of habits
- studying the subjective experience of habits/automaticity
> graph 6
> repeated measurement of automaticity across behavioral repetitions (“habit tracking”) shows that with repetition, automaticity increases
→ the graph is not the same exactly for everyone, it depends a bit on the person
24
Q
what are important determinants of habit formation?
- what study showed this?
A
- repetition (picture 6)
- short-term reward (or absence of aversive consequences)
→ Study:
> self-reported automaticity of a novel flossing routine was predicted by how pleasurable participants found this behaviour
> the perceived (health) benefits of this routine did not predict how fast people automatized this behavior
> what actually predicted the speed of automatization was the immediate hedonic quality of flossing (how nice it felt in the moment)
! this fits with law of effect
25
what are the disadvantages of self-report measures?
- they are subjective
- it's a self-report of an automatic behavior (awareness)
> however, there is evidence that such measures can reliably predict behavior
26
what behavioral fields of life do habits play a role in?
- consumer behavior
- unhealthy snacking
- smoking
- drinking alcohol
- fruit consumption
- exercise
- ...
27
what are the determinants of habit formation found by animal research?
! real-world habit research in humans provides evidence for the same three pillars of habit formation as demonstrated in animal research
- Repetition
> overtraining leads to insensitivity to outcome devaluation or ‘behavioral autonomy’
- Context
> insensitivity to outcome devaluation due to overtraining is context-specific
- Reward
> habits form faster with drug rewards than with natural rewards
28
So, are intentions or habits more important in determining behavior?
- daily behavior is not always determined by intentions, as habits also play a role
- however, when do habits override intentions and/or vice versa?
→ this depends on the availability of self-control resources
habits + intentions + self-control
29
What happens to habits vs intentions when the self-control is high?
(e.g. we are well rested, not stressed or worried, ...)
- intentions are the sole determinant in the absence of habits
- habits can support intentions
> when habit for the intended behaviour is strong, this renders strong motivation/intention at the choice point unnecessary, thereby freeing up cognitive resources
> this means that when our habits align with our intentions, intentions are in that moment unnecessary, as we use habits and by that we free up cognitive control
- conflicting habits can compete with intentions
> balance between intentions and habits now determines behavior
30
what happens to habits vs intentions when the self-control is low?
(fatigue, distraction, stress...)
- habits are the main determinant of behavior
> making healthy behavior habitual may shield against momentary motivation loss
> therefore, we should try to make healthy behavior habitual so that even if we have low cognitive control, we can still carry it on habitually
31
Interim Summary
- behavior change is challenging → "intention-behavior gap"
- much of our daily behavior is habitual
- real life habits can be investigated in field experiments and self-report measures (SRHI, SRBAI)
- intention + habit + self-control interaction
32
MC.2 - Which of these measures cannot be used ot investigate habits?
1. Outcome-devaluation test
2. Sign tracking test
3. Self-report questionnaires
2. Sign tracking test
33
MC.3 - You’re conducting an investigation of the formation of an exercise routine. During 6 weeks, you want to obtain a daily measure that reflects the subjective experience of habit formation. Which measure would be optimal to use?
1. Self-reported habit index
2. Self-reported behavioral automaticity scale
- SRBAI is better than SRHI for repeated measurements (‘habit tracking’), due to lower participant burden
- in intensive studies, it's better to use shorter questionnaire
34
MC.4 - in the graph 7, is self-control high or low? Why?
- low cognitive control resources
- this is because it's the habit strength that determines whether behavior will be performed or not
35
Motivational interventions, are they effective?
- interventions and campaigns that try to motivate, change goals and provide information do not directly impact S-R associations
- motivation is still important, but not sufficient
- motivation is what gets you started, habit is what keeps you going
36
How do people often go about changing a bad behavior?
- they start by setting a goal
> e.g. losing 5 kilos, eating less chocolate, ...
- goal intentions however aren't very effective
- therefore, it's better to form implementation intentions
37
what are implementation intentions?
- these are strategic and effective ways to reach goals
- if-then plans that link a critical cue to an instrumental action
> these plans have to be specific, and link a context to specific behavior
- "if I am in situation X, then I will perform action Y"
> e.g. "if I have dinner, then I will take my medication"
(picture 8)
38
how do implementation intentions work?
- stimulus-response association is already mentally formed
- by naming the stimulus, we make ooportunity for acting out targeted behavior more salient, in daily life
- there are two working mechanisms:
1. If-component
> heightened stimulus accessibility
→ enhanced detection of the specific situation
(the If... makes the stimulus concrete and clear, so it's easier to find the stimulus in real life and act accordingly)
2. Then-component
> strong stimulus-response link
→ automatic activation of instrumental response
(not only the stimulus is easy to find, but now the association S-R is strong and conscious, so it become automatic quickly)
+ II promote behavioral repetition in a stable context, so also gradual habit formation
39
habits vs Implementation Intentions
- II are also called "instant habits" and "strategic automaticity"
- habits and II's are both mediated by S-R associations, but this association is established in different ways
> habit: S-R through repetition
> II: S-R through conscious planning
40
What are some examples of situations where II work better than goal intentions?
- eat more fruit and vegetables
- self-examination breast cancer
- showing up at cancer screening
- vitamin C intake
- more physical activity
- handing in school assignments
- reducing smoking
- reducing unhealthy snacking
! works best to introduce new habits, compared to reducing bad ones
41
What did the functional MRI study show?
- participants had to react to computer task by pressing a key
- if participants had already rehearsed implementation intentions before going into instrumental training phase, you saw immediately reduced activity in caudate (goal-directed part of brain)
> this suggests that you can rely on the stimulus response association
42
side notes on II
! event cues work better than time cues
> e.g. "when it's 12, I do this..." doesn't work as well as other more concrete events
! habit stacking: make one habit as the stimulus for another habit
43
what are the 7 steps to change behavior?
1. Choose a behavior that you are highly motivated to change
2. Determine the critical cue: in which situation do you carry out the “bad habit”?
3. Can the critical cue easily be avoided or changed?
4. Link the right action to your critical cue
5. Continue to monitor your behavior and adjust your plan if it is no longer optimal
6. Once you have formed this habit, you can consider changing other habits. Small steps!
7. Don’t forget to celebrate your success!
44
Step 1
- Choose a behavior that you are highly motivated to change
> Strong intention and intrinsic motivation are crucial for effectiveness of implementation intentions
> if you are having an intervention, you might consider having the first step of the intervention be a MI
45
Step 2
- Determine the critical cue
> in which situation do you carry out the "bad habit"? What is the cue of the bad habit? Which "if"?
> e.g. if I watch netflix, I have a snack
→ watching netflix is the critical cue
! preferentially this is a cue that reliably precedes the behavior and that can easily be noticed
! it can be either external (e.g. netflix), or internal (e.g. boredom, stress)
46
Study (on step 2)
- design + results
- Concept: II with cue provided by researcher or personal cue
1. Situational cues
> "If I come home and I feel like a snack, then I will eat an apple"
2. Motivational cues (comparable to internal cues)
> "If I am bored and I feel like a snack, then I will eat an apple"
- dependent variable: is there a change in snacking?
Results:
- after II, people had more healthy snacks and less unhealthy snacks
- ! but only when a personal motivational cue was used
- ! cue should be personal and internal (ideally), however external cues work as well
> the problem with internal cues (e.g. boredom), is that sometimes you don't notice them
47
how can you determine the triggers of your bad habits?
- finding the crucial cue isn't easy
1. Cue monitoring diary helps to identify the critical value
> helps you to think about what event are preceding unhealthy behavior
2. Mental constrasting helps to identify the critical value
> contrasting positive future with negative reality
→ it raises awareness of the distance from the goal (increasing goal commitment)
→ aids identification of obstacles/critical cues that hinder goal realization (if...)
(picture 10)
48
Step 3
+ what is the habit discontinuity hypothesis?
- Can the critical cue easily be avoided or changed?
- Habit discontinuity hypothesis:
> avoiding the old context disrupts old S-R habits, which may allow one to rethink and initiate new behaviors
> it allows you to reshape and rethink your habits
> sometimes it happens naturally, e.g. when moving houses
49
Study on Habit discontinuity hypothesis
- gave people brief intervention on sustainability (e.g. on what people could do to reduce gas and electricity, ...)
> Intervention: information + motivating + goal setting
- after 8 weeks: T2
> post measurement of sustainable behavior
50
what are the results of the study?
(picture 11)
- if the person has lived in the house for < 3 months, then they were in the flexible stage where post intervention, the behavior changes the most
- 3-6 months, behavior changes but less
- +6 months, behavior gets worse
= the intervention was most successful for people who had moved house recently (<3 months)
51
2nd study on step 3
! Interventions could capitalize on habit discontinuation due to naturally occurring changes in the context:
- greater success at quitting smoking when moving house
- more sustainable behavior after brief (information) intervention in people hwo had just moved house
! or impose changes... is that possible for your "bad habit"?
→ if you can't change the context, you can have "stimulus control": avoid habit trigger/critical cue
52
3rd study on step 3
(picture 12)
- change the context to promote the desired behavior
> e.g. foodscapes influence food consumption
> similarly, fruit can be positioned in prominent places to encourage healthy choices
53
conclusion of step 3
- avoiding or changing the triggers of bad habits is an effective strategy
- it is not always feasible, so the next step is to override the bad habit
54
Step 4
+ what is the Ironic Process Theory?
- link the right action to your critical cue
> link trigger of unwanted habit to new, competing habit (neutral or rewarding)
- saying "if I watch netflix, then I don't eat snacks" doesn't work (IPT), therefore we have to change the "then"
> e.g. If I watch TV and feel like snacking, then I won't eat cookies"
! Ironic Process Theory: attempts to suppress a thought actually render it more salient and makes the person more conscious of it
55
Step 4 - how does it work?
- Habit inhibition (negation II) does not erase the underlying S-R association
- Habit substitution/replacement involves replacing the old, unwanted response to a cue with a new, wanted, competing response
(picture 13)
56
Step 4 - study
- people were more successful in stopping smoking if they replaced it with another activity
(picture 14)
57
MC.5 During the winter, Frank has started to snack a lot in front of the television. He has gained at least 5 kilo’s, and would like to lose this weight again before the summer. Which plan will be most effective in helping him to achieve his goal?
1. I will snack less
2. If I watch television, then I will not snack.
3. If I watch television, then I will drink water.
3. If I watch television, then I will drink water
58
Step 5
- Continue to monitor your behavior and adjust your plan if it is no longer optimal
(picture 15)
59
Step 6
- Once you have formed this habit, you can consider changing other habits. Small steps!
- multiple II are the same time are not effective for behavior change, especially when it pertains to the same behavior
- baby steps are greater for self-efficacy
60
Step 7
- Celebrate your success / reward yourself...
- this reinforces the new desired habits
61
Summary - how to break your bad habits
Good plans...
- are based on strong motivation
- specify a (personal) critical cue
> for snacking, internal cues may be better than external
- relate the critical cue to a new instrumental response
- are not formulated in a negation format
- consist of 1 (related) if-then association
- can be used as a metacognitive strategy (monitor and evaluate!)
62
what should we pay attention to when designing an II?
- must be suitable for the target population and target behaviour
- do we need other behavior change techniques, depending on the determinants of this behavior?
63
what did research find on II's effectiveness?
- when daily structure/regularity si low, it is challenging to build new routines
- in highly conscentious people, the added benefit of a habit-based intervention may be very low (they already engage in changes spontaneously)
(when motivation is low, MI can be a valuable addition)
64
Can we use II to change compulsive behavior?
we'll find out!
65
Chapter 16 - The role of habits in maladaptive behavior and therapeutic interventions
66
Definition of habit
- learned sequences of acts that have become autoamtic resposnses to specific cues, and are functional in obtaining certain goals or end states
- at the core of automaticity:
> (un)controllability
> (un)intentionality
> (lack of) awareness
> efficiency
- habits play a role in psychopathologies
> can be seen through Animal Learning Theory: behaviors are mediated by stimulus-response associations, stamped in through repetition and reinforced by rewarding consequences or by the termination or prevention of an aversive event
> habits compete with goal-directed processes (therefore behavior is determined by relative strenghts of these processes)
67
Self-report measures
- Frequency x context measure
> multiply self-reported frequency of past behavior with an indication of the stability of circumstances in which the behavior is performed
> it reliably predicts behavior, but does nto incorporate features of automaticity (e.g. lack of awareness and uncontrollability)
- SRHI & SRBAI
> ask people to reflect on automaticity, which should be inherently difficult if these behaviors are indeed characterised by lack of awareness
- self-reported habit strength is often more predictive of behavior than explicit goal intentions
68
Outcome-devaluation paradigm
- slip-of-action test
> learn that some pictures then lead to deduction of points
- pop-corn experiment
- Fritos and M&Ms experiment
69
general notes on the usefulness of these paradigms
- paradigms can reveal that some people are generally more prone to forming habits than others
> either as a consequence of forming strong stimulus-response habits fast and/or due to impaired cognitive control
- habit propensity can already become apparent after minimal training as habits are gradually formed from the outset of training
- individual differences in habit propensity have been linked to white-matter pathways between cortical and striatal brain aread that are thoguht to play an important role in goal-directed and habitual control
70
Habits in mental disorders
- most mental disorders are characterized by maladaptive behaviors tahat are frequently performed in the presence of certain stable triggers
- habits might influence motor behaviors but also attentional processes and recurrent maladaptive thought patterns
- studies show that the dysfunctional corticostrialtal networks in compulsive behaviors also play a role in the balance between goal-directed and habitual control
71
Huge past recap of all findings on habits
- repeated drug seeking renders the behavior insensitive to outcome devaluation
> repetition fosters the transition from goal-directed to habitual drug seeking
- habit ofrmation has been shown to be accelerated with drug rewards relative to natural rewards
> maybe due to strong stimulus-response reinforcement by drugs
- long-term drug seeking leads to persistent drug seeking in the face of negative consequences
> support for the uncontrollability of extensive drug seeking
- repeated consumption of alcohol or amphetamine leads to enhanced general habit propensity
> reflected in accelerated habit formation in the context of an unrelated food reward
- general tendency to rely on habits in alcohol and cocaine abuse
> reflected in impaired performance on the slip-of-action test
72
the debate
- there is a continuing debate about the role of habits in addiction
- there is substantial evidence to support the view that habits play a role in the loss of control over drug seeking, but are habits necessary for the development of compulsive behavior?
> and to what degree impaired performance in outcome-devaluation studies is due to strong habitual processes or to impaired goal-directed and related executive control functions?
- general tendency to rely on habits has also been demonstrated in dorsrders in which compulsivitt is not a central characteristic (e.g. schizophrenia, SAD and parkinson's)
> possible explanation in dual-process perspective: impaired goal-directed control can lead to reliance on inflexible habits (many disorders characterized by impaired executive functions and stress)
73
targeting maladaptive habits in therapeutic interventions
- the best way is to suppress the maladaptive stimulus-response habit in order to avoid risk-situations, or remove trigger stimuli
> habit-discontinuity hypothesis: isntances of context change are windows of opportunity for behavioral change
- implementation-intention
> the trigger becomes highly accessible and therefore is detected as a good opportunity to act
> the desirable response is triggered in a relatively automated fashion, when the specific situation is encountered
74
what are implementation-intentions effective for?
In subclinical populations...
- promoting healthy eating
- reducing existing unhealthy eating habits
- in context of addictive substances
> smoking
> mediated by changes in self-reported automaticity of smoking
> drinking (third person perspective on binge drinking)
- reducing self-harm episodes
In clinical populations...
- increase in psychotherapy attendance
- increased behavioral activation in depressed patients
- increased physical activity in schizophrenia
- relaxation when under stress for pts with anxiety
75
what are moderators for the effectiveness of II?
- socially prescribed perfectionism
> preoccupation to reach ideals and standards set by others
> useful to tackle in depression, anxiety and OCD
- urgency (impulsivity dimension)
> tendency to act impulsively under circumstances when negative affect is experienced
- low executive functioning
76
II in CBT
- II would accellerate the formation of adaptive habits in CBT
- therapists could help clients with their goal-setting (Volitional Help Sheet)
> link critical situations to desired response
- could help target rumination specifically
- high motivation in obtaining one's goal is a key pre-requisite for behavioral change and effectiveness of planning strategies
> MI techniques (increase of insight), mental contrasting, cue monitoring diary, ...
77
Article - what is habit and how can it be used to change real-world behavior? Narrowing the theory-reality gap
78
(!) Habits & impulses
- habits do not energize behavior directly; they activate impulses that generate behavior
Prime Theory
- impulses are representations of action that if left uncontested, trigger the specific neural pathways that perform the muscle contractions
> if someone habitually checks the phone when receiving a notification, if they consciously try not to do it they will feel a conscious urge to do so
- all psychological influences on action operate through impulses, and when impulses compete, the behavior will be determined by the strongest impulse
> the output of the habit process is an impulse, rather than an action itself. This means that habits generate impulses, but other impulses generated elsewhere might win, and therefore determine behavior
79
(!) habit vs habitual behavior
- Habit: cognitive construct that generates behavior
- Habitual behavior: action generated by the habit process
(picture 16)
80
(!) Habitual instigation vs habitual execution
- Instigation habits
> habits that trigger an episode of behavior
> select and generate commitment to action
> bridge gap between pre-action and action
> determine "whether" behavior is enacted
> frequency of showers (p.16)
- Execution habits
> habits that automate performance
> allow smooth movement through the action phase to completion
> determine "how" behavior is enacted
> duration of showers (p.16)
Instigation habit is a higher-order action, which results in a series of lower-order actions facilitated by execution habits
(picture 17)
81
can complex behaviors be habitually triggered?
- behaviors can be simultaneously habitual and intentional
- behavioral complexity refers to the intricacy of execuing an action, not instigating it
- for complex behaviors it might take longer to become habitually triggered
82
The role of habit and intentions in behavioral frequency
- habitual instigation and action selection are precursors of action frequency
- as habit strengthens, the likelihood that intention will inform action in the presence of habit cues decreases
- "habit-intention interaction hypothesis" → making good habits will sustain behavior even if conscious motivation declines, while breaking bad habits is necessary to prevent relapse into long-standing unwanted actions
> criticism: habit change may not translate into long-term behavior
83
Habit and intention can complementarily determine action selection
- habits present a response that, even though might not be triggered by intention, is aligned with it
- when habit and intention correspond, habit strengthenes and translates to action
84
Strong and stable counterhabitual intention may override habit in the long-term
- studies of habits vs counterhabitual intentions have mixed results
- in the lab, habits override counterhabitual intentions, but this is different in real life
> often designed to restricts participants' self-regulatory capacity
- habit is stronger indicator of behavior when people lack self-control, while if they have the ability to inhibit unwanted habits, counterhabitual intentions predict behavior better
> lab tasks focus on simple behavior for which opportunities to implement self-control are limited
→ in real life, you have more opportunity to prevent habitual behavior (not smoke) instead of in a lab (not press key)
- habit may overpower intention on occasion, but no compelling evidence to show that habit will persistently overpower intention in determining action frequency, across multiple instances, over the long-term
85
(!) what does picture 18 show?
> taking a bath: bad habit
> taking a shower: good intention
- where a person lacks self-control, the frequency of taking a bath will be determined by habit strength alone, regardless of intention
- when self-control is sufficient, habit-intention interaction depends on what intention you have
→ bath-taking habit will override weakened intention to shower in determining frequency
→ strong counterhabitual intention to shower will override even strong habit of taking a bath
- in unvarying contexts with sufficient motivation and self-regulatory capacity, intention will generally overpower habit
86
Habit formation may be neither necessary nor sufficient to sustain long-term behavior change
1. habitual behaviors are cue-dependent
> environmental changes that disrupt cue exposure will discontinue habitual action
2. any newly adopted behavior can be sustained by non-habit mechanisms
> e.g. enhanced liking, staisfaction with decision to change, ...
- habit formation is not essential for long-term behavior maintenance
> making good behavior habitual protects against decrease of motivation, but if motivation changes, habits might be discontinued overtime
> even for long-term habits, good motivation is importance in maintenance of behavior
87
Habit formation creates memory traces that may (re)activate behavior when desired
- although habitual behavior may cease over time if people become motivated to abandon it, or cue exposure ceases, the underlying habit association may persist in memory
> not acted-out habits can be weakened, but not fully extinguished
> this explains why old habitual behaviors are recovered after periods of dormancy
88
Disrupting habitual behavior
- Reducing behavioral accessibility
- It limits the availability of habitual behavior after the impulse is triggered
1. Purposeful accessibility reduction
> e.g. intentionally blocking gambling transactions on payment cards so that online gambling cannot easily be enacted
> requires capability and opportunity to modify access in advance of the habit impulse being activated
2. Incidental accessibility reduction
> e.g. casino payment servers failing, precluding gambling
89
Disrupting habitual behavior
- Habit Cue Discontinuity
- it diminishes the likelihood that a habit impulse will be activated
1. Purposeful habit cue discontinuity
> involves knowingly limiting exposure to triggers to unwanted responses
> e.g. avoiding socializing with friends that gamble online
> requires awareness of potential cues
2. Incidental habit discontinuity
> naturally occurring context changes that diminish exposure to cues
> e.g. becoming a parent may limit exposure to online gambling cues
90
Disrupting habits
- Habit substitution
- direct displacement of one habit association with another
- new, stronger and dominant association that produces a new default response
- directly targets underlying habit associations, so should minimise future lapses into unwanted habits
- in practice, substitution may be undermined if the new behavior is less appealing than the habitual action
- so we have, Habit cue discontinuity, Habit substitution, Reducing behavioral accessibility & Habit inhibition
(picture 19)
91
Implications for habit formation interventions
- when designing habit interventions, we must take into consideration settings of the person
> e.g. if someone does not have a routine, non-habit mechanisms may better support lasting behavior change
92
Implications for habit disruption interventions
- habit disruption approaches should be used only where there is reason to believe a behavior is habitual, as opposed to only long-established
- depends on self-control of the person
- habit substitution should have enduring impact on behavior, but people have to remain motivated
