Shana

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Marisa Enos

ENG 111 W02

17 March 2017


Some people chew their nails, some tap their feet when they take tests and others might

bite their lips when they are nervous, these are all examples of habit. A habit can be anything that

a person does without thinking or planning. It is something that someone has conditioned

themselves to do in reaction to certain circumstances. Habits are present in schools, in

workplaces, and all other aspects of life. Habits, especially bad ones are usually more talked

about in an educational setting. James VanderMey has an article titled Remarks on Habit that

explores the true meaning of what a habit is and whether it is a good or bad thing, or, in his

experience, possibly even both. Robert Leamnson is able to explain what the basis of these habits

are in his article the The Biological Basis of Learning. Leamnson provides a strictly biological

aspect on why the mind reacts the way it does in different scenarios of life. Both Leamnson and

VanderMeys ideas correlate with each other to help explain habits effect in any environmental

setting. Before the idea of habit can be explained, the world must first understand what a habit

truly is.

When the average person hears the word habit they will usually make a mental list of

all the negative things that they do that they wish they did not do. This is one reason why

VanderMey says that the term habit is so underestimated. While he does admit that he has

some bad habits himself like researching a topic long enough where he does not have enough

time to complete the assignment (13), he strives to make it clear that good habits exist as well.

VanderMey uses the idea of a good habit to describe the proficiencies that a student must reach

and maintain in their educational career. Proficiencies like analytic inquiry, quantitive fluency,
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and ethical reflection (VanderMey, 14). These are all qualities that VanderMey says cannot be

taught in a class, but are learned as a person grows in life. Leamnson would agree that there are a

such thing as good and bad habits as either one can be learned. This learning, according to

Leamnson, takes place in the brain when we experience an effect over and over. He says that

there are two important factors of habit, First, it is the multiple connections between neurons

that allows perception and thought, and not just the existence or number of neurons. Second, it is

experience and sensory interaction with the environment promotes and stabilizes neural

connections (Leamnson 67). Basically, the brain creates pathways where neurons are fired.

These pathways are created by continuous use (habit). The most important part is that the final

hard wiring of our brain comes from that of past experiences (67). With that being said, there is

room for bad habit yes, but also good habits to be formed as the brain is not biased, it just

remembers what it is conditioned to. Most of these habits or proficiencies that VanderMey

mentions are present in an educational setting.

As mentioned previously VanderMey says that there are good habits that a student

acquires throughout their educational career that help them lead a successful life. These habits, or

proficiencies cannot be taught all at once, and may seem especially difficult to pick up for a first-

year student. Leamnson adds onto this with his belief that students are generally unprepared to

enter college. While this may be true, Leamnson says that not being prepared can be an

advantage because a person will adapt easier in a new environment with no reference group. The

loss of a reference group allows for a person to seek a new standard of life, which in return is

a good time to inculcate new habits before the old ones resurface (Leamnson, 76). By this

Leamnson means that by entering a new setting with new and unfamiliar rules, a student is
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forced out of their comfort zone and will try to adapt, they can use this transition period to pick

up positive work habits and leave negative ones developed in high school, behind.

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Conclusion
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Works Cited

Leamnson, Robert. The Biological Basis of Learning and Todays First Year Students.
Exploring Connections, Mid Michigan Community College, 2016 pp 65-85.

VanderMey, James. Remarks on Habit. Exploring Connections, Mid Michigan Community

College, 2016 pp 12-17.