Peer-reviewed research
How are habits formed: Modelling habit formation in the real world
Phillippa Lally et al., European Journal of Social Psychology, 2010 · DOI 10.1002/ejsp.674
Read the originalRead on October 16, 2026
- What it is
- A field study of 96 volunteers who chose one daily eating, drinking or activity behavior and repeated it in the same context for 12 weeks, rating how automatic it felt each day. Nonlinear curves were fitted to each person's ratings to estimate how automaticity grows and levels off.
- How much weight it carries
- Peer-reviewed and widely cited. The publisher page is blocked to automated readers, so the abstract was checked through the Crossref record. Only 62 individuals fitted the curve and 39 fitted it well, so individual timings are uncertain; the paper's wide range (18 to 254 days) is itself a sign of that variation. Participants were students and volunteers, and the study tested simple health-related habits, not dictation.
Facts taken from this source
- In the 2010 habit study, the time to reach 95% of the automaticity ceiling ranged from 18 to 254 days between people.
“The time it took participants to reach 95% of their asymptote of automaticity ranged from 18 to 254 days” (Abstract)
- The habit curve fitted 62 individuals in the 2010 study, and 39 of them showed a good fit.
“The model fitted for 62 individuals, of whom 39 showed a good fit.” (Abstract)
- 82 of the 96 volunteers in the 2010 habit study provided enough data for analysis.
“The majority (82) of participants provided sufficient data for analysis” (Abstract)
- In a 2010 study, 96 volunteers each chose one behavior and repeated it daily in the same context for 12 weeks.
“96 volunteers chose an eating, drinking or activity behaviour to carry out daily in the same context” (Abstract)
- In the 2010 habit study, performing the behavior more consistently was associated with a better model fit.
“Performing the behaviour more consistently was associated with better model fit.” (Abstract)
- The 2010 habit study found that missing one opportunity to perform the behavior did not materially affect habit formation.
“Missing one opportunity to perform the behaviour did not materially affect the habit formation process.” (Abstract)