Sep 22, 2025 03:27 AM
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1098877
INTRO: Habit, not conscious choice, drives most of our actions, according to new research from the University of Surrey, University of South Carolina and Central Queensland University. The research, published in Psychology & Health, found that two-thirds of our daily behaviours are initiated “on autopilot”, out of habit.
Habits are actions that we are automatically prompted to do when we encounter everyday settings, due to associations that we have learned between those settings and our usual responses to them.
The research also found that 46% of behaviours were both triggered by habit and aligned with conscious intentions, suggesting that people form habits that support their personal goals, and often disrupt habits that conflict with them.
While there have been previous attempts to estimate the prevalence of habits in our day-to-day lives, this study used a new method to capture habits in action. The international research team surveyed 105 participants from the UK and Australia, sending six random prompts to their phones each day for a week, asking them to describe what they were currently doing, and whether it was triggered out of habit or done intentionally.
The study found that 65% of daily behaviours were habitually initiated, meaning people were prompted to do them out of routine rather than making a conscious decision. Professor Benjamin Gardner, Professor in Psychology at the University of Surrey and co-author of the study, said:
“Our research shows that while people may consciously want to do something, the actual initiation and performance of that behaviour is often done without thinking, driven by non-conscious habits. This suggests that “good” habits may be a powerful way to make our goals a reality.
"For people who want to break their bad habits, simply telling them to “try harder” isn't enough. To create lasting change, we must incorporate strategies to help people recognise and disrupt their unwanted habits, and ideally form positive new ones in their place."
The findings may have broader implications for public health and wellness interventions. The researchers recommend that initiatives designed to help people adopt new behaviours, like exercising or eating healthier, should focus on building new, positive habits... (MORE - details, no ads)
INTRO: Habit, not conscious choice, drives most of our actions, according to new research from the University of Surrey, University of South Carolina and Central Queensland University. The research, published in Psychology & Health, found that two-thirds of our daily behaviours are initiated “on autopilot”, out of habit.
Habits are actions that we are automatically prompted to do when we encounter everyday settings, due to associations that we have learned between those settings and our usual responses to them.
The research also found that 46% of behaviours were both triggered by habit and aligned with conscious intentions, suggesting that people form habits that support their personal goals, and often disrupt habits that conflict with them.
While there have been previous attempts to estimate the prevalence of habits in our day-to-day lives, this study used a new method to capture habits in action. The international research team surveyed 105 participants from the UK and Australia, sending six random prompts to their phones each day for a week, asking them to describe what they were currently doing, and whether it was triggered out of habit or done intentionally.
The study found that 65% of daily behaviours were habitually initiated, meaning people were prompted to do them out of routine rather than making a conscious decision. Professor Benjamin Gardner, Professor in Psychology at the University of Surrey and co-author of the study, said:
“Our research shows that while people may consciously want to do something, the actual initiation and performance of that behaviour is often done without thinking, driven by non-conscious habits. This suggests that “good” habits may be a powerful way to make our goals a reality.
"For people who want to break their bad habits, simply telling them to “try harder” isn't enough. To create lasting change, we must incorporate strategies to help people recognise and disrupt their unwanted habits, and ideally form positive new ones in their place."
The findings may have broader implications for public health and wellness interventions. The researchers recommend that initiatives designed to help people adopt new behaviours, like exercising or eating healthier, should focus on building new, positive habits... (MORE - details, no ads)
