共用题干 Kicking the HabitWhat is a bad habit?The most common definition is that it is something that we...

共用题干
Kicking the Habit

What is a bad habit?The most common definition is that it is something that we do regularly,almost
without thinking about it,and which has some sort of negative consequence.This consequence could affect
those around us,or it could affect us personally.Those who deny having bad habits are probably lying. Bad
habits are part of what makes us human.
Many early habits,like sucking our thumb,are broken when we are very young.We are either told to
stop doing it by our parents,or we consciously or subconsciously observe that others do not have the same
habit,and we gradually grow out of it.It is when we intentionally or unintentionally pick up new habits in
our later childhood or early adulthood that it becomes a problem.Unless we can break that habit early on,it
becomes a part of our life,and becomes"programmed"into our brain.
A recent study of human memory suggests that no matter how hard we try to change our habits,it is the
old ways that tend to win,especially in situations where we are rushed,stressed or overworked.Habits that
we thought we had got rid of can suddenly come back.During the study programme,the researchers showed
a group of volunteers several pictures,and gave them words to associate with them.They then showed the
volunteers the same pictures again,and gave them new words to associate with them.
A few days later,the volunteers were given a test.The researchers showed them the pictures,and told
them to respond with one of the words they had been given for each one.It came as no surprise that their an-
swers were split between the first set of words and the second.Two weeks later,they were given the same test

again.This time,most of them only gave the first set of. words.They appeared to have completely forgotten
the second set.
The study confirms that the responses we learn first are those that remain strongest over time.We may
try to change our ways,hut after a while,the response that comes to mind first is usually the first one we
learned.The more that response is used,the more automatic it becomes and the harder it becomes to respond
in any other way.
The study therefore suggests that over time,our had habits also become automatic,learned behavior.
This is not good news for people who picked up bad habits early in life and now want to change or break
them.Even when we try to put new,good intentions into practice,those previously learned habits remain
stronger in more automatic,unconscious forms of memory. If we develop bad habits early in life,they are harder to get rid of.