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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 18, 2026

Studying Habituation in Stentor coeruleus
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Studying Habituation in Stentor coeruleus

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Habits.

T W Robbins1, Rui M Costa2

  • 1Department of Psychology and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK.

Current Biology : CB
|November 22, 2017
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Understanding habit formation requires clarifying its definition. Habits are regular practices, often difficult to change, and can be automatic reactions linked to specific situations, aligning with stimulus-response theories.

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Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Behavioral Science

Background:

  • The concept of habit lacks a universally agreed-upon definition.
  • Folk psychology offers varied interpretations of what constitutes a habit.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To re-examine the definition of habit.
  • To align the understanding of habit with scientific theories.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of dictionary definitions of 'habit'.
  • Comparison with established psychological theories, specifically stimulus-response theory.

Main Results:

  • Dictionary definitions describe habits as settled, regular practices that are difficult to cease.
  • Habits are also defined as automatic reactions to specific situations.
  • This latter definition aligns closely with stimulus-response theory.

Conclusions:

  • A clear definition of habit is crucial for scientific understanding.
  • Habit definitions align with stimulus-response principles, providing a foundation for further research.