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habits

This shows a man sitting in a room full of post-it notes.

·June 18, 2025·6 min read

How Memory and Habits Shape Mental Health Outcomes

Despite being rooted in science, evidence-based psychological treatments often fail to deliver lasting results because people forget much of what they learn and struggle to build new habits. A new study highlights the disconnect between what patients remember from therapy sessions and what they implement in real life.

Featured Neuroscience

·November 19, 2024·5 min read

How to Make and Break Habits Using Neuroscience

Researchers have developed a framework for understanding and changing habits by leveraging the brain's automatic and goal-directed systems. Habits form when automatic responses overpower conscious control, leading to both everyday action slips and compulsive behaviors.

This shows a person using a cell phone and a lit up brain.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 11, 2024·6 min read

Why Our Brains Prefer Rewards Over Habits

New research suggests our brains prioritize actions based on rewards, not habits, challenging the idea that tech simply "steals" attention. The study found that when presented with multiple tasks, participants consistently chose the option with the highest reward, even if it conflicted with a trained habit.

Featured Neuroscience

·October 8, 2024·5 min read

Tracking Daily Habits’ Lasting Effects on the Brain

A unique study tracked one person’s brain activity and behavior over five months, revealing how daily habits like sleep, exercise, and mood can impact the brain for days. Researchers found that brain connectivity adjusts over time, influenced by heart rate, respiration, and physical activity, with even minor mood shifts leaving lasting effects. For instance, heart rate variability during rest strongly correlated with brain connectivity, highlighting how stress management and relaxation impact brain wiring.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·June 6, 2024·5 min read

Debunking Habit Myths: The Science of Lasting Change

Researchers debunk myths about habits, showing they are mental links between situations and actions. Habits compete with other impulses, like intentions and emotions, to influence behavior. Forming habits aids change but doesn't guarantee it. Effective strategies and backup plans are essential for overcoming disruptions and breaking bad habits.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 25, 2022·4 min read

People Overlook the Influence of Habits, Like Drinking Coffee

People may underestimate the role of habit in their behaviors, including coffee consumption, researchers say. The automatic triggering of a behavior, such as a person's morning routine of coffee consumption, versus conscious intent is what makes a behavior a habit.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·February 7, 2022·3 min read

A Yet Unknown Neural Mechanism of Habit Formation Identified

Study provides insight into the behavioral function of dopamine signaling in the striatum.

Featured Neuroscience

·February 27, 2020·5 min read

How the brain forms habits

As the brain starts to develop new habits, activity in the dorsolateral striatum increases. As the activity bursts increase, the habit becomes stronger. Inhibiting neural activity with optogenetics reduces habit behaviors in mice.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·January 28, 2019·2 min read

Train the Brain to Form Good Habits Through Repetition

According to researchers, forming both good and bad habits depends more on how often you perform an action than the satisfaction you get from the action.