The measurement of habit

In this chapter, we define habit as the process by which a person’s behaviour is influenced from a prompt to act based on well-learned associations between cues and behaviours (Gardner, 2015a; Rebar, 2017; Wood & Neal, 2016; Wood & Rünger, 2016). Habit is the process that determines behaviour, and habitual behaviour is the output of that process (Rebar, Gardner, & Verplanken, 2018). Whereas the habit process is automatic and spontaneously elicited, habitual behaviour can be inhibited through exertions of self-control or other motivational influences, which suppress the translation of impulse into action (Gardner, 2015b). For example, people with strong habits to eat junk food when stressed will tend to act on their temptation. However, if there are internal or external influences also acting on their behaviour, say for example a goal to avoid junk food, with vigilant monitoring, they may be able to inhibit the behaviour (Quinn, Pascoe, Wood, & Neal, 2010). Several areas of the habit field are subject to debate. Controversy surrounds whether people can be aware of their habits, how habit is distinct from behaviour frequency, and whether and how the influence of habit might be disentangled from that of other forms of motivation. At the core of these controversies are issues of measurement, specifically the construct validity of habit measures; that is, are existing measures adequate for capturing the habit process? This chapter aims to meet these challenges.