The power of habit

1. introduction

1.1. book = what habits are, how to create them and how to change or break them.

2. Pepsodent

2.1. old friend of Hopkins asked him to help design a national promotional campaign for toothpaste

2.2. He said no because anyone brushed its teeth but he accepted because his friend came back again and again

2.3. He also helped to create a toothbrushing habit by creating a craving.

2.4. This craving makes cues and rewards work. the cue was a film that covers people’s teeth and the reward was having beautiful teeth by using “Pepsodent”.

2.5. Pepsodent had worked because H created a craving.

2.6. Pepsodent contained the same ingredients that other toothpastes but they knew that people wanted the reward; to feel their teeth had been cleaned.

2.7. Customers said that if they forgot to use Pepsodent, they realized their mistake because they missed that cool, tingling sensation in and mouth.

3. Febreze

3.1. instance of park ranger : She was single and wanted to find someone to have kids with but the problem was that she smelled like skunk. With Febreze the embarrassing smells were eradicated.

3.2. cue = the smell of skunk reward = smell good

3.3. but the product didn't work because the trigger wasn't good (rangers didn't smell those odors)

3.4. video : every women smiled when they have finished to clean the room (because it's an accomplishment)

3.5. febreze is the last action before the accomplishment, befoe the end of the cleaning routine.

3.6. cue = cleaning room routine = cleaning with Febreze reward = smell good craving for a clean scent (parfum)

4. Julio (monkey)

4.1. He wanted to know what happened in their head.

4.2. Julio’s job was to pull a lever whenever colored shapes appeared on the screen. If Julio touched the lever when a shape appeared, a drop of blackberry juice

4.3. when he came to understand, through dozens of repetitions, that the shapes on the scree were a cue for a routine (touch the lever) that resulted in a reward (blackberry juice)

4.4. Julio’s behavior became a habit.

4.5. With more and more practiced at the behavior, Julio’s brain began anticipating the blackberry juice.

4.6. Sometimes the juice didn’t arrive and Julio wasn't happy. New pattern = craving

4.7. this explains why habits are so powerful : they create neurological cravings.

4.8. other examples : cigarette or food