Dynamics of Habit Formation and Behavioral Impact
This classification allows us to understand how the characteristics of habit formation (its speed and depth of entrenchment) determine its influence on human behavior. In other words, if a habit forms slowly, it may acquire deeper, more stable qualities, exerting a significant influence on subsequent behavior; whereas a habit formed quickly, even if it also becomes deep, exerts a different kind of impact. Habits that are formed quickly and with great enthusiasm often lose their strength with repetition, which points to their variability – their pedagogical effect will be markedly different from that of habits that are formed slowly but steadily.Thus, by distinguishing four types – slow and deep, slow and weak, quick and deep, quick and weak – one can more precisely assess the potential of a given habit to influence behavior and determine the type of intervention required to correct or consolidate certain behavioral patterns.Supporting citation(s):"From the general characteristics of habits, let us move to their specific traits. We have already mentioned that children acquire habits easily and quickly; moreover, they become 'entrenched' very easily—and if, for example, one has to fight 'bad' habits, the difficulties encountered here well illustrate the peculiarities of children in this regard. ... First, let us highlight the types of 'habituation'. The classification of the types of will that we provided above remains valid for habits as well: here too, it is necessary to distinguish between quick and slow formation of habits; this difference was first established by Meyer. But another aspect of the classification mentioned above is also significant in characterizing habits: the strength or weakness of the habit." (source: link txt)"Combining these two aspects leads to the identification of four types of habits: slow and deep, slow and weak, quick and deep, quick and weak. This is of enormous importance for understanding the fate of habits and for pedagogical influence and intervention. It should also be noted that all four types can be observed in childhood. Data regarding the initial phases of habit formation among different types is particularly interesting. In my experiments (Kyiv 1912, Belgrade 1920–1921) I observed that those who begin with considerable tension and enthusiasm quickly lose strength, so the repetition of homogeneous movements has a very weak influence on habit formation in such individuals. Conversely, those who begin their work without any excitement, almost sluggishly, rapidly master the movements under the influence of practice and make significant 'progress'." (source: link txt)