Why do we keep clinging to bad habits?

Why do we ignore public warnings and warnings about the dangers of smoking, drinking, overeating and excessive stress, on the other hand maintaining habits and activities? The dynamics we know are not good for ourselves?

A researcher at Albeta University said that it is because we do not fully understand the underlying causes of why we maintain bad habits or dangerous activities.

Dr. Cindy Jardine, associate professor of rural sociology at Albeta University in Edmonton, Canada, said in two recent case studies in which subjects were asked to rate ratings. the threat of different types of risks including lifestyle habits, it is clear that people know what types of activities are the most dangerous but that is not enough to motivate them to change. (Photo: ingham.org) change your lifestyle.

'The results show the fact that people have a very practical understanding of the different threats in their lives. We as communicators about the danger - as scientists, scholars, government agencies - must go beyond the idea that 'If people only need to understand reality, people I will change. ' People fully understand the reality, but we need to consider other factors that we have never considered before. '

Recently, Jardine presented her findings at the 2006 Hazard Evangelists Conference in Sweden.

In the first Jardine-specific case study, 1,200 people in Albeta were surveyed in both 1994 and 2005. Lifestyle habits such as smoking, stress and tanning classified as the top three threats, considered by the Albeta public to be more dangerous than technical or pollution threats such as chemical pollution, ozone release and wet manholes. Smoking habits are classified as 'very dangerous' according to 53% of respondents in 1994 and 60% of respondents in 2005. Stress is classified as 'very dangerous' according to 54% of respondents. closely in 1994 and 65% of respondents in 2005. In contrast, only 24% of the subjects in 1994 and 28% of the subjects in 2005 classified the wet pits into 'very dangerous' categories .

The study of the second specific case included a survey conducted in two Northern Canadian Aboriginal communities that showed similar results. Again, lifestyle threats are considered the most dangerous. Most people in the two communities rated the risk associated with drinking habits (96 to 100% of the subjects) and smoking (80% of the subjects) as 'very dangerous'. The risks associated with micro-pollutants and the implementation of traditional activities in harsh environments are categorized as less dangerous.

When asked about personal and community health issues, subjects in the second survey freely acknowledged that they knew about the dangers of dangerous activities such as driving decisions while not healthy, indirect smoke and alcohol syndrome in the fetus, when unborn babies are harmed by their alcohol consumption.

Jardine said: 'So they know that alcohol is harmful, but the communicators about the danger do not look at the deep causes of drunkenness - poverty, unemployment, a history. about alcohol abuse in some of these families. If we can grasp the underlying cause of people drinking alcohol then we will do better in understanding their full context. If we show people what we know about health threats, then it's likely that we won't solve any problems. "

The study hypothesizes that factors such as the social recognition and disregard for ordinary people have also played a role in maintaining bad habits . Jardine said: 'We have a sense of ownership that is very important to us. We see ourselves as part of a social structure; It is difficult to change a behavior if it is still accepted by society. For example, stress is harmful to us, but we show tension as an expression of honor. Overwork is seen by society as something worth doing. We don't seem to have the same respect for those who work 40 hours a week. '

Jardine added: 'Similarly, we do not like to hear about what we should not do, so we rationalize our bad habits. We all still have a little stubborn child in him. We still smoke, citing 'It has not harmed me now' or 'It helps me control my stress or weight'. ''

Jardine said people will not give up their bad habits no matter how much they know until the psychology behind dangerous activities is really understood. She suggested that researchers and communicators about the danger need to talk to the people they are trying to reach before making the messages. 'We need to listen more to things that really relate to people and need to look back on social standards and why they are starting to demand our actions. We, as a society, have to rethink and test these standards. '

Studies are supported in part by support from the Canadian Health Organization, the Humanities and Social Sciences Research Council and the Head of Ecological Research in the Environmental Risk Management department.

Thien Kim