Social Cognitive Approach

1171 Words5 Pages
Behavioral and Social/Cognitive Approaches to Forming Habits Nicole Fredrickson PSY 250 December 9, 2014 Linda Porcaro Behavioral and Social/Cognitive Approaches to Forming Habits Can habits be changed or broken? Change is a process that does not happen overnight and can create doubt or take a person on a trip to their past. The result of the change can be twofold and the impact depending on the person can be unfavorable. For some people that trip can be the very thing that improves the quality of their life and for some change has the potential to cause more harm than good depending on their inner drive or emotional state of mind. From time to time, it is necessary for a person to conduct a self-evaluation. Generally this activity…show more content…
The supporters of these theories believe that the environment is a major factor when explaining repetitive behaviors. Actions or behaviors that are repeated on a routine basis form a habit. For example, if you wash your face before you brush your teeth every morning that the routine becomes a habit. Obviously, that habit is not a bad habit yet a habit none the less. As demonstrated simple task can become habit forming. I am a firm believer that anything that is done more than 30 days will form a habit. Unfortunately, the opposite does not apply. Anything that is not done for 30 days does not translate to a broken habit. To break a habit not only will it require dedication and consistent reinforcement, but your environment, motivation, influences, genetics, and mindset must also be considered. While this may sound simple, the change process is very difficult and takes many factors into consideration. Some habits are so deeply-rooted that they require psychological treatments such as therapy, hypnosis treatment or medication. After talking to a psychologist for months and doing lots of self-evaluation I have become a better person and no longer shop when I am depressed, irritated or stressed. After talking and coming up with other ways to deal with it, exercise and quiet me time have been a better source to dealing with things. Those two things do not affect my bank account or anyone around

More about Social Cognitive Approach

Open Document