Habits:

I doubt that my father ever read a psychology book in his life yet he would have made a splendid behavioural psychologist. When I was a small boy many years ago, I remember him explaining to me what habit was. He said it was like making a groove with a hard object in a piece of wood. The more often we went over the same scratch, the deeper it became until the tool automatically followed its direction. He said that if we did not like our habit but found ourselves automatically doing it, we could change by creating a new habit in its place, one we do approve of. He used to say that when we had built this new habit enough, we would find that the old one would gradually heal.

The checker board of our lives is fully covered with a maze of deep habit scratches which we follow automatically. We move from one habit reaction to the next. Just as when driving a car or writing words we move our hands and feet in a series of complicated movements without specific or conscious direction. So we get out of bed, dress, eat and react to all social and personal needs largely within the direction of habit. Our reaction to any situation or demand will usually follow a characteristic course, a habit course- My wife and family have a very good idea of the kind of habit reaction I am likely to make in any situation-It is not easy to change our thinking habits; the older we get the deeper the habit groove, the more set we become in our responses to situations. There is a measure of truth in the saying; "Bring up a child until he is seven and when he is an old man he wilt not

depart from it."

It is also true that we are not automatons. People can and do change when presented with new information and better concepts. We begin to learn concepts from a very early age, concepts about other people, concepts of how to achieve what we want, concepts about belligerency, food, manipulation of others, punishments, concepts about male and female roles; about learning or how to avoid it, of size in relation to power, of leadership or submission, concepts of personal worth, of bravery and love and caring relationships. Thousands and thousands of separate and specific concepts-

By his actions a father teaches concepts of courage or panic to his children. The mother who shows disgust when her little daughter wets herself is teaching concepts of guilt and body rejection. We collect our concepts from personal observation, spoken or unspoken, from parents, our peers, neighbours and school.

By the time we finish school we are largely fixed in our concepts of life, but still subject to unusual circumstances or special causes or directed change.

We may change our political views, our religion, or even our way of life but these new changes are in themselves largely based on other deeper concepts formed in early life.

Concepts are basic and being more powerful than habits they give rise to habits. New concepts can change old habits. Concepts can be acquired by education and understanding. Change of habit comes as a result of new understanding, new attitudes, new concepts- So there is room for change. Indeed change is occurring all the time in our lives, slowly but consistently as our concepts change.

Psychotherapy is one method of finding new concepts. The subject looks at the problem with all the emotion involved, goes over it carefully, perhaps several times, and forms a new understanding of what happened and his true relationship to the event. Then he can adopt a new attitude to the former difficulty. The kind of therapy which just mulls over the hurt, does nothing to change concepts and therefore cannot alleviate the hurt. It is examination with the purpose of finding a new understanding and attitude which makes for effective therapy and permanent change. The new concept in action.

Years ago when I first started boating as a recreation, the yachties would drink their beer and toss the empties overboard. One popular bay was often referred to as the glass bottomed bay. Bobbing empties were looked upon with a sort of amusement, as a sign that a good time was had by all. No concern was spared for the environment. It was just not thought of. Today the concept of preserving the environment has invaded the yachting world to the extent that in spite of the increase of thousands of new cruising boats on the harbour, we see very few empties bobbing on the water. The concept of a clean and safe environment has changed the habits of a whole section of sporting people.

Ecology concepts have become a force in a wide range of interests. Concepts of human rights, concepts of hygiene, education and morals have changed the habits and thinking of millions. Our culture and whole way of life is built on concepts of trade, personal relationships and beliefs.

Our personal concepts influence the way we play the game of life, whether we go through life with a gay laugh, a belligerent scowl on our faces or some other attitude.

Yesi Concepts are powerful. They can change our outlook and attitude to many things. When we are given sufficient information, when we become thoroughly convinced of a better way, and become committed to a new idea, our old thinking habits can fall away and be forgotten.

So there is every possibility of change and becoming a fully functioning whole personality. It is not a hopeless task to reorientate our thinking and thus our emotions to bring new contentment and adventure into our lives.

In this study we go back to the beginning and build up a picture of our culture and society as it is. I have included a brief chapter showing the growth of psychology and some of its many expressions. This is done with a desire to provide a background for a deeper look at basic human nature.

There is no need to change basic human nature. When it is understood and not fought against or moulded and twisted, it becomes a force for good. In a relaxed factual manner human nature encourages us to live in peace and harmony with our fellows and ourselves.