"In Good Habits, Bad Habits . . . the social psychologist Wendy Wood refutes both [William] James¡¯s determinism and glib exhortations to be proactive, and seeks to give the general reader more realistic ideas for how to break habits. Drawing on her work in the field, she sees the task of sustaining positive behaviors and quelling negative ones as involving an interplay of decisions and unconscious factors . . . Even people who score high on self-control questionnaires may owe their apparent virtue to situational factors rather than to sheer fortitude." ¡ªJerome Groopman, The New Yorker
"Many authors have written about habits . . . but Wood is also a premier scientist in psychology, working on how habits affect and are affected by the human mind. Top tip: Willpower isn¡¯t enough. But through her original research, Wood explains what does work." ¡ªBethanne Patrick, The Washington Post
"[An] enlightening debut . . . [Wendy Wood] eloquently explains current research on the role habits play in everyday activities such as snacking, exercising, and commuting . . . Her insightful, data-driven advice includes tactics such as ¡°stacking¡±¡ªgrouping desired behaviors together with already-established behavioral patterns to incorporate actions into routines. Wood¡¯s research and perspective on the malleability of habits will bring hope to any reader looking to create long-term behavioral change." ¡ªPublishers Weekly (starred review)
¡°Fascinating and fun, this book will change a lot of lives. So much of human behavior is habitual¡ªsometimes for better, sometimes for worse. Wood brings state-of-the-art social science into contact with the most pressing issues in daily life. She¡¯s a tremendous guide.¡± ¡ªCass R. Sunstein, Robert Walmsley University Professor, Harvard University, and author of How Change Happens
¡°Wendy Wood is the most thoughtful, innovative researcher studying the central role habits play in human behavior. Her work on habits has guided scientific understanding and will have a similar impact on public knowledge. I can¡¯t imagine a better person writing this book.¡± ¡ªDan Ariely, author of Predictably Irrational
¡°Wendy Wood is the world¡¯s leading expert on habits¡ªhow we make them, break them, and change them. I expect that her book will be both eye-opening and immensely useful in teaching people how to get more done, quit smoking, start exercising, make better choices, and stop annoying their partners.¡± ¡ªAdam Grant, author of Originals