Test 2 · Part 4: How Habits Are Formed

In today's lecture, we're going to examine how habits are formed and why they're so difficult to break.

在今天的讲座中，我们将探讨习惯是如何形成的，以及为什么它们如此难以改掉。

Psychologists estimate that around forty percent of our daily actions are performed out of habit.

心理学家估计，我们日常行为中约有百分之四十是出于习惯。

A habit is essentially a behavior that has become automatic through repetition in a stable context.

习惯本质上是在稳定的情境中通过重复而变得自动化的行为。

Researchers often describe this process as a loop consisting of three distinct stages.

研究人员常把这一过程描述为由三个不同阶段组成的循环。

First, there is a cue, which is a trigger that tells the brain to begin the behavior.

首先是提示，也就是告诉大脑开始这一行为的触发因素。

This is followed by the routine itself, which can be physical, mental or emotional.

接下来是惯常行为本身，它可以是身体上的、心理上的或情绪上的。

The final stage is the reward, which helps the brain decide whether the loop is worth remembering.

最后一个阶段是奖励，它帮助大脑判断这个循环是否值得记住。

Over time, the brain begins to anticipate the reward as soon as it detects the cue.

久而久之，大脑一发现提示，就开始预期奖励。

This anticipation is linked to the release of dopamine, a chemical associated with motivation.

这种预期与多巴胺的释放有关，多巴胺是一种与动机相关的化学物质。

That explains why a habit can persist long after the original reward has lost its appeal.

这就解释了为什么在最初的奖励失去吸引力很久之后，习惯仍然可以持续。

So how long does it actually take to establish a new habit?

那么，养成一个新习惯实际上需要多长时间？

A frequently quoted figure is twenty-one days, but this has little scientific basis.

常被引用的数字是二十一天，但这几乎没有科学依据。

A study in London found that the average was closer to sixty-six days.

伦敦的一项研究发现，平均时间更接近六十六天。

Moreover, the time required varied enormously, from eighteen days to well over eight months.

此外，所需时间差异极大，从十八天到远超八个月不等。

Simpler behaviors, such as drinking a glass of water at breakfast, became automatic much faster.

比较简单的行为，比如早餐时喝一杯水，变成自动行为的速度要快得多。

The researchers also found that missing a single day had little effect on long-term success.

研究人员还发现，漏掉一天对长期成功几乎没有影响。

This is encouraging for anyone who has abandoned a plan after one small failure.

对于任何因为一次小小的失败就放弃计划的人来说，这都是个鼓舞人心的消息。

When it comes to breaking bad habits, relying on willpower alone tends to be ineffective.

说到改掉坏习惯，仅仅依靠意志力往往是无效的。

A more successful strategy is to keep the same cue and reward but replace the routine.

更成功的策略是保留相同的提示和奖励，只替换惯常行为。

Next week, we'll consider how these principles are applied in public health campaigns.

下周，我们将探讨这些原则如何应用于公共卫生宣传活动中。