Science· 2012Q1
Changing Human Behavior to Prevent Disease: The Importance of Targeting Automatic Processes
- 869citations
- Q1SCImago
- 2012year
Short summary
Interventions targeting automatic, stimulus-cued behaviors are likely more effective for disease prevention than those relying on conscious reflection, as much human behavior operates outside conscious awareness.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Key points
- A significant portion of the global disease burden is linked to behaviors recognized as harmful but continued by individuals.
- Much human behavior is automatic, driven by environmental stimuli and occurring without conscious reflection.
- Interventions that encourage conscious reflection on health-harming behaviors have limited success.
- Targeting the automatic, rather than reflective, bases of behavior may yield more effective disease prevention strategies.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Much of the global burden of disease is associated with behaviors--overeating, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and physical inactivity--that people recognize as health-harming and yet continue to engage in, even when undesired consequences emerge. To date, interventions aimed at changing such behaviors have largely encouraged people to reflect on their behaviors. These approaches are often ineffectual, which is in keeping with the observation that much human behavior is automatic, cued by environmental stimuli, resulting in actions that are largely unaccompanied by conscious reflection. We propose that interventions targeting these automatic bases of behaviors may be more effective. We discuss specific interventions and suggest ways to determine whether and how interventions that target automatic processes can enhance global efforts to prevent disease.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Science, 2012 · DOI ↗
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Field: Applied Psychology
Applied PsychologyPsychology