Overview

• Researchers surveyed participants in the UK and Australia six times a day for one week using ecological momentary assessment, publishing the results in Psychology & Health.
• The analysis found that 65% of reported activities were performed automatically as habits rather than through deliberate choice.
• About 46% of actions were triggered by habit yet also aligned with participants’ intentions, indicating that routines can support goals.
• Study author Benjamin Gardner said behavior is often initiated and carried out without thinking, driven by unconscious habits.
• The team said health efforts may work better by tying desired behaviors to stable cues and by avoiding triggers for harmful routines, citing smoking as a case in point.