NPR Morning Edition aired a fascinating piece last week: “What Vietnam Taught Us About Breaking Bad Habits.” The context of the story was New Year’s resolutions and why breaking bad habits or even starting good habits is so hard to do.
The question: “What does science know about translating our resolve into actual changes in behavior?” The answer: “People, when they perform a behavior a lot, outsource the control of the behavior to the environment.”
For Vietnam veterans treated for heroin addiction, only 5% relapsed during their first year returning home from Vietnam. The serviceman beat an extremely addictive habit by treating the physical addiction and by undergoing a radical change in their environment.
In other words, our mind automatically engages behaviors based on familiar environmental cues and patterns.
Our environment shapes our behavior. Which reminds me of the “broken windows theory” of discouraging crime by cleaning up neighborhoods — like Mayor Giuliani’s cleanup campaign of NYC in the mid-80s.
The implications for learning are big: a change of scenery may be just what’s needed to reinforce change in behaviors.
I’m working on a communication skills curriculum and instruction that includes a collaborative learning workshop, e-learning modules, social networking portal, and even coaching sessions. We’ve set up a comprehensive intervention to improve workplace communication skills. But, even with the best of intentions, knowledge, and skills, we all can fall back into routine patterns. Especially because, as the psychologist in the NPR story says, “We don’t feel sort of pushed by the environment – but, in fact, we’re very integrated with it.”
What can we seed into an environment to support change? More specifically, what can we do to the environment to support change in communication behaviors? Put an extra chair beside a desk or rearrange the meeting space seating? Change schedules to allow more time for conversations? Set up a system to provide team updates and share information more frequently?
I’ve developed a whole slew of job aids for performance supports and self-reflection, such as a colorful card tent to set on a person’s desk exclaiming “Communication Works!” That’s a visual cue that will serve as a constant reminder – until it’s put away and not there anymore. Maybe we need a set of collateral materials to post around common areas?
Maybe we could push daily reminders via email? Maybe certain work objects – such as common forms and other paperwork – can be redesigned to cue specific behavior responses?
Truly, learning transfer is hard. We need to consider how to make the environment work better to make us work better.
Tags: behavior, broken windows theory, environment, job aids, NPR, veterans, Vietnam War
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