Neuroscientist explains why bad habits are hard to break

The video explores the challenges of maintaining New Year's resolutions by examining the nature of habits. It explains how habits are deeply ingrained in our neural circuitry, particularly involving the basal ganglia and the dorsal striatum. The video discusses the stimulus-response learning process and offers strategies for breaking bad habits and forming good ones. It emphasizes starting small, being patient, and using community support to build new habits effectively.

Why is it challenging to stick to New Year's resolutions?

• Because they are too easy

• Due to lack of time

• Due to deeply ingrained habits

• Because they are not important

What type of memory is associated with habits?

• Explicit memory

• Short-term memory

• Implicit memory

• Sensory memory

Which part of the brain is crucial for processing habits?

• Hippocampus

• Amygdala

• Cerebellum

• Basal ganglia

What is required for the stimulus-response learning process?

• A goal, a plan, and a result

• A trigger, a behavior, and a reward

• A thought, an action, and a consequence

• A desire, an effort, and a success

What happens to neural circuits as habits become more ingrained?

• They disappear

• They become weaker

• They become more strongly connected

• They remain unchanged

What is one strategy for breaking a bad habit?

• Thinking about the behavior consciously

• Doing nothing

• Ignoring the habit

• Rewarding the bad habit

What is a recommended approach to forming new habits?

• Changing everything at once

• Avoiding any changes

• Starting with small, incremental changes

• Making drastic changes quickly