Understanding Habits: Formation and Change

What is a habit according to scientists?

• An automatic action triggered by a cue

• A behavior that changes frequently

• A conscious decision made daily

• A routine that requires constant reminders

Why might smartphone reminders not help in forming automatic habits?

• They are too distracting

• They make the habit dependent on the reminder

• They are too expensive

• They are not frequent enough

What is the piggybacking strategy in habit formation?

• Using technology to track habits

• Starting a new habit every day

• Combining two unrelated habits

• Adding a new habit to an existing one

How long can it take for a habit to become automatic according to research?

• Exactly 21 days

• Between 18 to 254 days

• Always more than a year

• Only a few days

When is a good time to try breaking a bad habit?

• When you have a lot of free time

• During a major life change

• When you are stressed

• At the end of the year