Course Description
The psychology of habit formation and change. Students learn how habitual behavior relates to goals, intentions, and self-control. Students apply habits principles to their daily lives to support academic success, health, and well-being.
Athena Title
Psychology of Habit
Semester Course Offered
Offered spring
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
By the end of this course, students will be able to: • Explain the basic psychological mechanisms underlying habit formation and change • Understand how habits relate to goals, intentions, motivation, and self-control • Recognize the role habits play in supporting (or hindering) long-term goal attainment • Identify contextual factors that contribute to desirable or undesirable habits • Apply habits principles to support beneficial academic and health behaviors
Topical Outline
• Ubiquity and utility of habits in daily life • (Neuro)psychological mechanisms of habit formation and change • Misconceptions about habits • Interactions among habits, goals, intentions, self-control • Creating contexts to disrupt bad habits and foster beneficial ones • Measuring and tracking habit development • Habits for long-term academic success, health, and well-being • Application of habits principles to everyday life
Syllabus