Though habit is developed from our childhood and we do it regularly in our life, here we will discuss how habits developed or the science how habit works. This entirely depends on building process of our habit. So, let us discuss about building process of habit.
The process of building a habit normally has four stages cue, craving, response, and reward. This four-step pattern is the backbone of every habit and our brain runs through these steps in the same order each time. Let us break it down into fundamental parts that can help us to understand what habit is, how it works and how this can be to improved.
Cue is the first stage. Cue means the signal, the sign or the indication. The cue activates our brain to initiate actions. It is a bit of information that predicts a reward. Our prehistoric ancestors were paying attention to cues that signalled the location of primary rewards like food, water and shelter. Today, we spend most of our time learning cues that predict secondary rewards like money and fame, power and status, praise and approval, love and friendship, or a sense of personal satisfaction. Of course, these pursuits also indirectly improve our odds of survival and reproduction, which is the deeper motive behind everything we do.
Our mind is continuously analyzing our internal and external environment for hints of where rewards are located. Because the cue is the first indication that we are close to a reward, it naturally leads to a craving.
Cravings are the second step of the habit loop, and they are the motivational force behind every habit. Without some level of motivation or desire, without craving a change, we have no reason to act. What we crave is not the habit itself but the change in state it delivers. We do not crave smoking a cigarette, we crave the feeling of relief it provides. We are not motivated by brushing our teeth but rather by the feeling of a clean mouth. We do not want to turn on the television, we want to be entertained. Every craving is linked to a desire to change our internal state.
Cravings differ from person to person. In theory, any piece of information could trigger a craving, but in practice, people are not motivated by the same cues. For a gambler, the sound of slot machines can be a potent trigger that sparks an intense wave of desire. For someone who rarely gambles, the jingles and chimes of the casino are just background noise. Cues are meaningless until they are interpreted. The thoughts, feelings, and emotions of the observer are what transform a cue into a craving.
Response is the third step. The response is the actual habit we perform, which can take the form of a thought or an action. Whether a response occurs depends on how motivated we are and how much friction is associated with the behavior. If a particular action requires more physical or mental effort than we are willing to expand, then we won’t do it. Our response also depends on our ability. It sounds simple, but a habit can occur only if we are capable of doing it. If we want to put in a basketball but cannot jump high enough to reach the ring, we are out of luck.
Rewards are the end goal of every habit. The cue is about noticing the reward. The craving is about wanting the reward. The response is about obtaining the reward. We chase rewards because they serve two purposes, first they satisfy us and second, they teach us.
The first purpose of rewards is to satisfy our craving. Rewards provide benefits on their own. Food and water deliver the energy we need to survive. Getting a promotion brings more money and respect. Getting in shape improves our health and our dating prospects. But the more immediate benefit is that rewards satisfy our craving to eat or to gain status or to win approval. At least for a moment, rewards deliver contentment and relief from craving.
Second, rewards teach us which actions are worth remembering in the future. Our brain is a reward detector. As we go about our life, our sensory nervous system is continuously monitoring which actions satisfy our desires and deliver pleasure. Feelings of pleasure and disappointment are part of the feedback mechanism that helps our brain distinguish useful actions from useless ones. Rewards close the feedback loop and complete the habit cycle.
If a behavior is insufficient in any of the four stages, it will not become a habit. Eliminate the cue and our habit will never start. Reduce the craving and we won’t experience enough motivation to act. Make the behavior difficult and we won’t be able to do it. Even if the reward fails to satisfy our desire, we will have no reason to do it again in the future. Without the first three steps, a behavior will not occur. Without all four, a behavior will not be repeated.