CPC CPC Habit Formation & Behavior Change 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: According to habit science, what are the three components of the 'Habit Loop'?
- Plan, Action, Review
- Cue, Routine, Reward (Correct answer)
- Goal, Strategy, Outcome
- Trigger, Thought, Feeling
Correct answer: Cue, Routine, Reward
Charles Duhigg's Habit Loop model identifies cue, routine, and reward as the three core elements of every habit.
Question 2: The most effective way to build a new productive habit is to:
- Rely on willpower alone
- Stack the new habit onto an existing one using habit stacking (Correct answer)
- Change multiple habits simultaneously
- Start with the most difficult habit first
Correct answer: Stack the new habit onto an existing one using habit stacking
Habit stacking links a new behavior to an established one, using the existing cue to trigger the new routine.
Question 3: What is the '2-Minute Rule' for habit formation?
- Never spend more than 2 minutes on any single task
- Scale a new habit down until it takes 2 minutes or less to start (Correct answer)
- Set a 2-minute timer before beginning any work session
- Review your habit tracker every 2 minutes
Correct answer: Scale a new habit down until it takes 2 minutes or less to start
James Clear's 2-Minute Rule makes habits easier to start by reducing them to their smallest possible version.
Question 4: Which term describes replacing an unwanted habit with a more productive behavior using the same cue and reward?
- Habit extinction
- Habit substitution (habit replacement) (Correct answer)
- Habit stacking
- Temptation bundling
Correct answer: Habit substitution (habit replacement)
Habit substitution keeps the original cue and reward but changes only the routine to a healthier or more productive behavior.
Question 5: 'Implementation intentions' increase habit success because they:
- Allow flexibility in when and how to perform the habit
- Pre-decide the specific when, where, and how of the behavior (Correct answer)
- Require the habit to be performed at random times
- Eliminate the need for accountability partners
Correct answer: Pre-decide the specific when, where, and how of the behavior
Specifying exactly when and where you will act dramatically increases follow-through by removing in-the-moment decision-making.
Question 6: What role does immediate feedback play in habit formation?
- It is irrelevant to whether habits stick
- Positive immediate feedback strengthens the neural pathway for the habit (Correct answer)
- Delayed rewards are more motivating than immediate ones
- Feedback should only come from external coaches, not self-monitoring
Correct answer: Positive immediate feedback strengthens the neural pathway for the habit
Immediate positive feedback (even a checkmark on a tracker) reinforces the reward signal that makes habits stick.
According to habit science, what are the three components of the 'Habit Loop'?