The power of habits

Another day, another drive.

Habits are human automation, meaning a chain of responses to a specific stimulus, event, or situation. When we first get into a car, we struggle to change speed, look in the mirror, check all the electronics on the dashboard, and get ready to drive. If the same thing continued to happen every time we entered a car, it would be a disaster and an unacceptable burden, both mentally and physically. The same goes for a host of other activities and responses. The book The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg is a detailed exploration of the formation process and the implications of established habits in humans and groups of people, such as organizations.

book The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg.

I then wondered if we could imagine algorithms—like the ones used in our everyday news, video, or movie feeds—as something like externally provided habits. Instead of making those small but tedious decisions about what to listen to or watch every day, we rely on them. But the question is, what does it take to recognize the patterns and alter these exogenous habits if that is indeed the case?

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