Many of the common modern diseases such as diabetes, (lung) cancer and cardiovascular disease are caused by habits like physical inactivity, smoking and unhealthy diets [1]. Most habits are automatic human behavioral processes that are triggered by environmental or situational stimuli. These behavioral processes become habits when they are constantly repeated in the same context and result in actions that one is not conscious about [2], which can be both advantageous and disadvantageous to the individual’s health. Up until now, most of the approaches trying to change unhealthy habits in the population have been done through clinics or public health campaigns and are often ineffectual, as the actions are unconscious. When using habits as a …show more content…
The reflective mode is used when we are conscious of what our goal is, how to act to achieve it and the consequences. This mode is goal-directed, flexible and rational; however, it is also slow and tiring, as all attention is focused on it. It is rule-based and deliberate, motivated by the person’s beliefs, desires, values and probabilities. On the other hand we have the impulsive mode, where we act without being really aware of it, responding to our environment in a way we have learned from many experiences. In contrary to the reflective mode, the impulsive mode is fast and unconscious, but inflexible and not associated with the person’s conscious desires, automatizing our actions and allowing our thoughts to be focused of something else. As this mode occurs outside of awareness, the habit may continue even when the consequences are not favorable and wanted. Even though these two modes of information-processing seem to be the opposites of each other, they actually overlap and interact, complementing but also coming into conflict with each other. Habits are a class of impulsive mode behavior and are contrasted with goal-directed behavior, although not all habits are impulsive and impulsive acts can be goal-directed. When looking at interventions for changing unhealthy habits, most of them are targeting reflective processes, trying to persuade …show more content…
In this category priming and goal priming are mechanisms that can be used as intervention tools to influence automatic behavior of humans. Priming refers to passively and subtly presenting environmental stimuli that activate or inhibit associated mental representation to influence the behavior of people without them being aware of it. An example is using positive stimuli to approach people, like using fun terms to describe vegetables to children to make it more attractive for them to eat, as they will associate it with fun thoughts [1, 3]. Goal priming is when the environmental stimuli activate specific goals, also influencing the individual without them noticing it, motivating them to pursue it. Research has shown that goal-directed behavior can be triggered by exposing participants to environmental and situational stimuli to long-term health goals. These stimuli can be for example posters promoting health placed next to a vending machine, motivating people to buy healthy items. Goal-priming however, only works if the individual knows which goal-directed behavior can be used to pursue and achieve the outcome, and needs to have access to such behavior. It is also important that the individual values the outcome, as studies also have shown that goal-priming was more effective among those individuals [
A of his current state of health and lifestyle behaviours (Harris, Nutbeam, Wise, 2004). For example, the model explores 6 behavioural stages; pre-contemplation, contemplation, determination, action, maintenance and termination. These stages focus on the individual’s experience, behavioural changes and processes as opposed to an event which has determined a behaviour change. Evidently, the transtheoretical model determines that Mr. A is at the pre-contemplation stage (Prochaska & Velicer, 1997). Due to Mr. A experiencing this stage, he is not planning change to his current lifestyle choices. Although Mr. A is not planning changes in the foreseeable future, the transtheoretical model in conjunction with an education campaign can inform Mr. A about different behavioural stages that he may experience. However, understanding this behaviour change model of health cannot determine why Mr. A’s his current lifestyle and behaviour (Prochaska & Velicer, 1997). Fortunately, inclusion of maslow’s hierarchy of needs psychology theory (Donovan, Egger, Spark, 2005) used in conjunction with the transtheoretical model of health, can identify barriers that are stopping Mr A from actively using information from health education campaigns to change his behaviour (Harris, Nutbeam, Wise,
Miller, Angela. Rewiring Your Self to Break Addictions and Habits Overcoming Problem Patterns. Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger, 2010. Print.
Charles Duhigg’s The Power of Habit, acknowledges how habits control our daily lives in every decision we make. For Instance, an ambitious woman named Lisa Allen, has not always had a fruitful life. Previously, she had abused her body with harmful toxins such as tobacco and alcohol since the beginning of her teenage years. Carrying out these habits everyday resulted her into being unmotivated and unconfident. In fact, she never kept a job longer than a year and began to fall into major debt. “She needed a goal in her life, she thought. Something to work toward” (xii-xiv). It begins with the “three-step loop” a cue that triggers our brain to do the habit. Next a routine, a set of actions that are either physical or mental. Finally a reward of satisfaction that determines whether or not this habit will be continuous (19). Not all habits can be good, but this is where the golden rule applies. Duhigg explains that in order for you to change your habit “ you must keep the old cue, and deliver the old reward, but insert a new routine”(62). “However, simply understanding how habits work- learning the structure of the habit loop makes them easier to control”( 20). Reading The Power of Habit, helped me understand the process by which I made a positive change to fight procrastination.
as a public health intervention to promote healthy lifestyles, it often is not realized there is
Habits are choices that one continues to do repeatedly without actually thinking about them. Habits start with a decision, but they eventually become automatic. One can probably think about things we do every day that we wish we did less of, perhaps like binging Netflix, constantly checking social media, or snacking when not being hungry. If one can understand how habits are triggered, one can learn how to overcome them. The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg and “Rat Park” by Lauren Slater will reveal the main strategies to recognize and overcome habits. Angie Bachman, a women who developed a gambling habit due was well aware of her habits, but she continued to drag herself into debt, resulting in losing all that she owned and getting sued by
Every person possesses some type of habit, whether we realize it or not. A habit is a repetitive way of thinking, doing, or acting that is acquired from a previous experience. Most habits are done unconsciously and can be anything from shopping, drinking, and licking your lips, to telling lies, crying, and brushing your teeth. Though habits seem to be embedded in us, it is possible for us to do away with them. This paper will dissect my habit of smoking tobacco. I will discuss how I developed this habit and why I continue to pursue it. Also presented, will be different theories as to why I have this habit and what I can do to change it.
Impetigo can occur in the bullous and nonbullous forms. Winn et al. (2006) stated it is a highly contagious bacterial infection of the superficial layers of the epidermis. Impetigo is caused by S.aureus in 80-90% of cases and in 10-20% of cases by S.pyogenes (p. 634). Nonbullous impetigo is caused by a host response to the bacterial infection, whereas a staphylococcal toxin causes bullous impetigo (Cole and Gazewood, 2007, p. 859). Nonbullous impetigo is more common and accounts for approximately 70% of reported impetigo diagnoses as described by (Cole and Gazewood, 2007, p. 859). In the same article Cole and Gazewood (2007) go on to describe the pathophysiology of nonbullous impetigo which starts as a single papule or red macule that rapidly turns into a vesicle. The vesicle breaks easily and forms an erosion of skin, soon after the liquid matter dries and forms a characteristic honey-colored crust that may be pus-like (p 859-860). Impetigo seems to be overwhelmingly spread by autoinoculation and tends to affect areas subject to environmental trauma, such as the extremities or the face as seen in the case of the patient described above (Cole and Gazewood, 2007, p. 859-860). In 2003, Brown, Shriner, Schwartz, and Janniger, stated, patients can easily auto inoculate themselves and pass the infection to others after excoriating an infected site. This allows a rapid distribution of infection, especially in places that have a high population of children such as schools and daycare. Children normally are normally infected through contact with other children, but fomites are another infection source as well. When adults are infected, they usually develop impetigo from contact with children or adults but can also contract an infection...
Before beginning my analysis of my smoking habits, I recorded the number of cigarettes smoked on a daily basis. On an average day I smoked 4-5 cigarettes. By establishing my baseline performance on a typical week, I set out to find the positive reinforcements, which coerced me into smoking. The days that were most prolific in smoking were Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. The primary reason for the increase in smoking was due to the social events of that particular evening, which included the occasional alcohol consumption, and companionship of fellow smokers/friends. “Partying” dramatically affected my smoking habit. Undoubtedly my gregarious antics affected my smoking, but the post-sex cigarette also added to the count. By pinpointing these factors, I was able to invent a fixed negative reinforcement schedule to lead me away from smoking and steer me towards a healthier lifestyle.
My parents know that soda makes my stomach much bigger and they motivated me to change this habit. I used to drink a lot soda with chips, french fries, chicken and pizza. Something important that made me find out is, when we people like something, then, continuously start eating the same food for a very long time until we start disliking them. Since, I have drank soda for a long time, now I feel the same taste and the taste became old to me. My parents motivation and own realization made me accomplishing this habit. I believe, Human are creatures of habit. Overtime, We buy the same foods from the same grocery store, prepare the same recipes over and over. But, if we are serious about eating healthier and losing weight, then, it is possible to change those bad eating habits until it is too late. In order to maintain a healthy behavior, first one should start to prepare for it. However, in order to achieve these goals of health and fitness is really about involving in healthy behaviors on a daily routine basis. It does not matter how small the habit is, over time they can have a huge effect on an individual’s health. Therefore, we have to be serious about changing our lifestyle in order to achieve the goal.
Every day, individuals are being influenced by the stimuli around them. Most of the time, they are not even aware that this is happening. Things seen, heard and experienced all come together to form an individual 's own idea about the world around them. This unconscious activation that predisposes individuals to certain responses and choices is called priming. Numerous studies have been conducted to determine if priming has an effect on consumer behavior and for the purpose of furthering the understanding the underlying effects of environmental primes on behavior. These studies have since exposed a cascade of priming effects on behavior.
In the article “Smoking”, people who consider smoking as a habit is also one of the reasons that lead to addiction with “serious health consequence” (Boughton 2090). Every addiction only starts with just one puff to another until it became one stick to one pack. Most of the people today, they said that they only smoke occasionally, saying that they use it for instant stress reliever and moderate using only. But, what they don’t know is that one day they will be craving it and slowly they will realize that they can’t stand a minute of not smoking a stick of a
“We all think we’re too smart to be tricked by packages, lighting, or plates. We might acknowledge that others could be tricked, but not us. That’s what makes mindless eating so dangerous” (Wansink 2). Unhealthy eating and the rise of obesity have become increasingly prevalent problems in the United States over the last few decades, but what often goes unnoticed is an epidemic that very well may be the cause of these issues; mindless eating. According to Weight Watchers, the term ‘mindless eating’ is defined as “eating food without paying adequate attention to what and how much is being eaten,” continuing to mention that this habit can be influenced by our surroundings and portion sizes. With the advancement of technology increasing the number of distractions, the idea that “bigger is better,” and American culture thriving in a life of convenience, snacking has become much more than a quick granola bar. Rather, it has transformed into consuming an entire bag of chips, for example, without even realizing it. Clearly, mindless eating is a significant contributor to health problems such as obesity, but what does this practice truly say about the culture in which we live? This unconscious habit may be impacting society to larger extent than many realize; hurting productivity, driving up health care costs, prolonging and even encouraging a fast paced lifestyle full of haphazard decision making.
Emotion and motivation are seen as two separate psychological features that are cause-and-effect. Most people would think motivation stimulates a person to achieve a goal, while also thinking emotion is the only the feelings that come from the motive, the actions that are caused from either achieving or of failure of the goal. Motivation is defined in different ways, but a common definition is that motivation is a force that energizes behavior. In 2006, Franken defined motivation as the direction and persistence of a person’s behavior. Most theorists who have their own definition of motivation think that learned behavior cannot be stopped unless energized. Which motivation is important in all of behavior. Any change in the motivation reflects
Outlined in this concept is, “when people are persuaded verbally that they can achieve or master a task, they are more likely to do the task” (Hayden, 2014). Like vicarious experience, verbal persuasion is seen within the interpersonal level of health behavior. Family, friends, or peers are providing verbal encouragement and support to the individual in efforts to promote success in a task. By receiving this encouragement, individuals are convinced or motivated to endeavor on and complete the undertaking that is presented.
The letter E in my personality type stands for Extrovert, which analyzes how much I become energized and outgoing when interacting with other individuals. Being an extrovert means that I prefer to be in a crowd of people, likes to have constant change, and loves to be the center of attention. The S stands for Sensing, meaning I look at the present more so than the future. This view looking upon the present means I typically notice details, rely on concrete facts and information, and learn from my past mistakes. The third letter, F, stands for Feeling. Feelers usually rely on the gut feelings to make decisions. They also tend to ponder on questions pertaining to personal impact of a decision rather than the objective of the question. Finally,