New research from psychologists at UNSW Sydney and Western Sydney University has uncovered why some people struggle to break harmful habits. Their study suggests that it’s not always about a lack of willpower or stubbornness—sometimes, it’s a matter of not understanding the link between their actions and the negative outcomes that follow.
This misunderstanding could be why some people keep repeating behaviors that hurt them, even when they want to change.
To explore this idea, the researchers set up a simple video game with a space-trading theme. Young adult volunteers played the game, where they had to click on one of two planets to collect points. The more points they collected, the better their chance of winning a cash prize.
What the players didn’t know was that both planets would give them about the same number of points, but the consequences of clicking on each one were very different. One of the planets was linked to pirate ships that would steal a large chunk of their points. The other planet only triggered harmless ships.
The game went on for several rounds, and researchers watched how the players reacted. Some people quickly figured out that one of the planets led to pirate ships and stopped clicking on it.
These people were labeled as “sensitives” because they could recognize the negative consequences and adjust their behavior to avoid losing points. But there was also a large group of players who didn’t make the connection.
They kept clicking on the bad planet, losing points without understanding why. Even when it was explained to them that the pirate ships were linked to their choices, many still kept clicking. The researchers called these people “compulsives.”
The study opened up new ideas about why some people continue harmful habits, even when they know it’s bad for them. Traditionally, self-destructive behaviors like addiction or reckless actions are seen as choices driven by desire or a lack of control.
But the researchers suggest that for some people, the real issue might be that they don’t understand how their actions are causing harm.
In the game, the people labeled as “compulsives” kept clicking on the bad planet not because they wanted to lose points, but because they had created logical yet wrong explanations for their losses. They couldn’t clearly see the connection between their choices and the negative outcome.
This misunderstanding is not just limited to video games. The researchers believe it can happen in real life too. When the consequences of harmful behavior are rare or don’t happen right away, it’s much harder to understand the link.
For example, someone who occasionally drinks too much might not see the long-term damage it’s doing to their health, just as a person who smokes might not immediately connect it to lung problems that show up years later. This gap in understanding makes it easier to keep repeating the behavior without fully grasping the damage it causes.
Self-destructive behaviors are not just limited to addictions like alcohol or gambling. They can show up in many different ways. Substance abuse, like drinking too much or using drugs, is a common form. Eating disorders, such as anorexia or binge eating, are another example, where harmful eating patterns lead to serious health risks.
Self-harm, risky sexual behavior, and even excessive work habits (known as workaholism) also fall into this category. Some people may isolate themselves from others or strive for unrealistic perfection, pushing themselves to unhealthy limits. Others might engage in reckless behaviors like speeding or extreme sports without proper safety measures.
The study’s findings suggest that one way to help people overcome these harmful habits is to improve their understanding of the consequences. If people can clearly see how their actions lead to negative outcomes, they might be more willing and able to change.
This insight also means that treatment approaches for addiction or self-destructive behaviors might benefit from focusing on helping people understand these cause-and-effect relationships more clearly. The researchers believe this new understanding could lead to better strategies for breaking harmful cycles and improving mental health.
The study, led by Philip Jean-Richard-dit-Bressel and his team, was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Their work not only sheds light on why some people struggle to change but also opens the door for new ways to help people break free from harmful habits.
Understanding the connection between our actions and their consequences could be the key to overcoming self-destructive behaviors and building healthier lives.
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