Habit: What's the Brain Got to Do with It?

Abstract

Habits form the basis of many human behaviors. They can support daily routines, but they also can become cumbersome and interfere with a satisfying life. This article introduces the construct of habits on a continuum, from habit impoverishment, a condition in which habits are not available to support daily life, to habit domination, a condition in which habits consume so much energy that they interfere with a satisfying life. Habits have been studied from the points of view of many disciplines. This article invites readers to study habits from a neuroscience point of view. A number of neuroscience principles explain how habits can be formed and how they might be supported within the nervous system. The article introduces the concepts of thresholds for action, modulation, and motivation to reestablish homeostasis. These constructs are used to propose a model for interpreting behavior that incorporates neuroscience principles and related behavioral responses. The article explains these patterns of responding in relation to adaptive and maladaptive behavior.