by With the onset of the holiday season, thoughts may soon turn to New Year’s resolutions as many try to ditch bad habits and establish new and healthier habits. But do New Year’s resolutions really work – and is January 1 the best time for a new goal?
A phenomenon called the “new start effect” suggests that the new year can be a good time to make resolutions and changes because it can serve as a “temporary turning point” that gives people a renewed commitment to goals.
But other factors may also affect the ability to stick to the New Year’s resolution, experts told Live Science.
Do New Year’s resolutions work?
The “new start effect” suggested in a 2014 study in the journal Management Science (opens in new tab)suggests that events such as the New Year, birthdays, holidays, and even the start of a week or month are associated with an increase in craving behavior. These “temporal cues” allow people to separate their perception of time into “before” and “after” and write down previous failures as responsibility for their past selves.
The researchers wrote that temporal landmarks can encourage “big picture thinking” and make people more likely to invest in long-term goals rather than instant gratification.
However, the theory was never tested, and many New Year’s resolutions were not followed.
Robert West (opens in new tab)A retired professor of behavioral science and health at University College London (UCL) in England, Dr. “
Robert West is professor of health psychology at University College London (UCL) in England and a member of UCL’s Center for Behavior Change. He is the former editor-in-chief of Addiction magazine and has published more than 900 scientific works, including books on behavior change and addiction.
“During our waking hours, we chase after what we crave most—not an hour ago, a day before, or five minutes before,” he said. “That’s why it’s often very difficult to do the things we decide to do. When the time comes, we forget what we’ve planned or another desire comes out stronger.”
Old and new habits
The key to a successful New Year’s resolution may also be setting new goals rather than giving up bad habits. A 2020 study published in the journal PLoS One (opens in new tab)found that 55% of respondents found themselves successful in maintaining their New Year’s resolutions from the previous year. However, participants with goals for approaching (doing something new) were significantly more successful, with a success rate of 47.1% versus 58.9%, compared to goals aimed at avoidance (stopping doing something). This means that those who take on new challenges are more likely to succeed than those who try to get something out of their life.
This did not mean that participants who set avoidance goals such as quitting smoking or losing weight failed, but rather that participants were more likely to succeed in their decision when the goal approach was framed in a focused way.
The ‘intention-behavior’ gap
Susan Michie (opens in new tab)professor of health psychology and director of the Center for Behavior Change (opens in new tab) At UCL, he told Live Science that another psychological phenomenon could affect how people react to their New Year’s resolutions.
“[It’s] what psychologists call the ‘intention-behavior gap,'” he said. They also need to have the skills to manage their behavior and the opportunity to do so.”
Susan Michie is professor of health psychology and director of the Center for Behavior Change at University College London, UK. His research focuses on behavior change related to health and the environment.
A 2016 review published in the journal Health Psychology (opens in new tab)studied the impact of changing attitudes, norms, and self-efficacy (a person’s belief in one’s ability to perform a behavior) on health-related behaviors such as exercise and diet. The researchers found that modifying participants’ attitudes, norms, and self-efficacy led to moderate-sized changes in behavior in areas such as diet, condom use, and smoking cessation. However, because the studies “differ in ways that are too complex to capture with a few simple study features,” effect sizes were interpreted using scientific guidelines.
“The secret to controlling our behavior is to plan ahead to make sure that our desire to follow the plan is stronger than anything when it comes to doing the things we decide to do or not doing the things we want to avoid doing.” West said. “New Year’s resolutions are one way of trying to make that happen. We care deeply about the plan, whether it’s quitting smoking, eating a healthy diet, or going to the gym, and maybe we tell people about it and get some kind of support. That way, if we’re successful, our desire to stick with the plan is driven by our desire not to. probably more.”
Don’t be ready for change
A 2021 study on alcohol abuse published in the Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing (opens in new tab)found that a willingness to change is an important factor for successful change. The same theory can be applied to a New Year’s resolution: For change to be successful, one must be ready to commit.
group motivation
A 2011 review in the journal Social and Personality Psychology Compass (opens in new tab) found that a group dynamic can help motivate people for a task. The study found that they were more motivated and successful as part of a group than they were individually, including those who were less skilled at the task they were assigned to.
healthy habits
Research published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (opens in new tab) The year 2013 shows that habits can help people stick to their goals even when their personal motivation or willpower is low. Human brain (opens in new tab) According to research, when motivation levels are low, it relies more on habit-forming mechanisms than on personal goals or desires. Therefore, it can be a useful way to form a habit and to address a lack of motivation through task repetition.
make a decision
Having a specific goal in mind and a plan for how to achieve it can increase the likelihood of success. A 2002 study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology (opens in new tab) He found that those who made a New Year’s resolution were 44% more likely to achieve that goal six months later than those who didn’t decide but were interested in changing a problem later.
