A Qualitative Investigation into the Representations of Habit by Lay People

Abstract

Objective: There is continued debate regarding the most useful and meaningful way to measure habit and how to form habits via intervention. To date, lay representations of habit have rarely been explored. Such understandings may provide clarity on how researchers might better define habit, develop valid measurements of habit, and evaluate habit-based interventions. This study aimed to explore how lay people represent habit, across two studies. Methods: Study 1 (N = 158) used an online, open-ended questionnaire to elicit what lay people believe to be the salient features of habit. Study 2 involved a series of interviews and focus groups (N = 27), to explore individual representations of habit. Results: Theoretical thematic content analysis across the two studies revealed that participants described habit by what it is (i.e., an explicit outcome or internal mechanism), by habit’s features (i.e., automatic, frequent, stable cue/context, and emotionally rewarding), and by how they evaluated habits (i.e., being both “good” and “bad”). When describing the characteristics of habitual behaviours, participants identified that habits were either simple, discrete behaviours; clustered, repetitive behaviours synonymous with routine; or a self-identity characteristic. Conclusions: Current findings indicate that lay people hold consistent and contradictory representations of habit. Largely, lay representations were similar to scientific conceptualisations, with some notable difference. Participants appeared to misunderstand the cue-based mechanism of habits, interchangeably used ‘habit’ with ‘routine’, and believed that habits were emotionally rewarding. Future research should focus on integrating the beliefs identified in this research with new measures of habit and habit interventions.