How does a deliberate action transform into an automatic habit?
I investigate the neural architecture of habit formation in stable environments, focusing on the transition from goal‑directed to stimulus‑driven control. Using electroencephalography (EEG) and neural decoding, I track how the brain’s representations of these two systems change. I also work to identify the key factors capable of accelerating the habit formation process.
Once a habit takes root, how is it triggered, and what does it take to stop it?
I examine the brain mechanisms underlying the expression and suppression of established habits. By isolating time‑resolved neural signatures, I map the precise interplay between stimulus‑driven habit activation and the goal‑directed control required to override inappropriate responses.
Can beliefs and goals become habitual too?
Challenging the traditional view of habits as purely rigid stimulus–response links, my work demonstrates that expectancies and valued outcomes can become rigid too. I investigate how seemingly habitual behavior may instead arise from the rapid retrieval of these well-established mental representations of beliefs and goals — what I call “habits of thought”.
Why do certain behaviors become rigid and resistant to change in some individuals, but not others?
To answer this, I investigate how habit mechanisms drive compulsivity. My current work spans diverse clinical populations, including people with obsessive‑compulsive disorder (OCD), Tourette syndrome (TS), and body‑focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs).