A review and analysis of the use of ‘habit’ in understanding, predicting and influencing health-related behaviour

This narrative review examines how the concept of habit is defined, measured, and applied in health psychology, analyzing 136 empirical studies and eight literature reviews. It identifies inconsistent definitions and an overreliance on correlational self-reports. The author proposes defining habit as a stimulus-generated impulse to act, calling for diverse experimental methods to advance research.