Fundamentals of business

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The Psychology of Habitual Behaviour

This article reviews various topics revolving around the brain and its behaviour, more specifically, the way both bad and good habits form as we tend to repeat a behaviour. Re-enacting performances allows them to be in scripted in habit circuits associated with the brain’s striatum. The striatum is not the only sector of the brain to have control over habits, we also have the neocortex which directs the habits and even has the power to prohibit a habit to be developed.

To begin with, the authors of this article, Graybiel and Smith (2014)  go on to cover various subjects regarding brain circuits which are responsible for the formation of an individual’s good habits as well as the abandonment of their bad habits. They begin by explaining the nature of habits. In the human body, the striatum, a component of the motor and reward systems as well as the infralimbic cortex which regulates habitual behaviour, both play a role in monitoring performances. Fundamentally, a habit consists of the unintended actions one commits seized by the brain through previously repeated behaviour and by cues instead of something that is intended or voluntary according to Lally (2013). As a matter of fact, a behaviour becomes a habit depending on how the brain’s regions and connections see fit. For example, if it sees it as beneficial, the habit will be stored, however, if it proves itself to be rather irrelevant, it will not become part of ones routine. The more an action becomes regular, the less we are conscious of performing it, consequently, a habit is acquired explain the authors. The neurons’ activities in the striatum become less prominent during the middle of the action. This

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phenomenon can also potentially lead to bad habits. Additionally, when one comes to the realization of a repeated performance of an action later on, addictions begin to develop. Such a pattern of conduct can possibly result in extreme forms of habit like dangerous disorders. On another front, once a habit is formed, it is extremely difficult to let go of it. This phenomenon stems from the reality that it is already too late to prevent the repeated actions by then and the outcomes of the unintended acts transpire. Many of us have habits we constantly do but can’t seem to get rid of , even when they are unwanted This is partially the result of reinforcement contingencies which are reinforcers that influence our behaviours depending on the aftermath they bring about. This method of learning prompts the wiring of the brain to sustain the behaviours it sees as rewarding and rejects those that are costly. All in all, the authors conclude the article by stating that by further learning about habits and its relations with the different areas of the brain, neuropsychologists are capable of resolving issues with harmful or unwanted habits. Although this is no simple task, experimenting with a variety of techniques such as optogenetics is a step closer to healing individuals with habitual disorders.

I am thankful to say that studying this article has taught me multiple concepts concerning habits I had previously not known about. I was surprised to learn about the optogenetics technique which consists of exposing bright light on a small area of the brain in order to control the activity of neutrons could monitor our steps. I had always believed that habits could only be altered through strong-will and dedication with the

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help of some psychology. However, it turns out that thanks to neuropsychology, habits could in fact be blocked through the optogenetics technique.

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