<p>There's over 100 years of learning research and theorization now that pretty well establishes that yes, if your behaviour changes then your brain changes (and vice versa).  When you learned to tie your shoes your brain changed.  It quickly became a habit and you don't even think of it... can't even do it if you do.  When you learned to speak your brain changed.  When you had a child of your own and spent 6 weeks without regular sleep your brain changed.  It's hard to give you a specific reference for any of that.  The brain is what guides your behaviour.  If your behaviour is changing then your brain is changing.  Your brain changing is neither magical or surprising, that's how you learn.</p>

<p>That said, I've never seen the "habit" centre.</p>

<p>If you really want a reference start with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebbian_theory">this</a>.</p>

<p>[Aside: It's kind of absurd that he talks about how you are not your brain but now you're going to change your brain to make a new you.]</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-07-10T02:31:55.173Z
If you desire, then you can give one reference: [the wikipedia article on mind-body problem](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mind%E2%80%93body_problem)
Artem Kaznatcheev
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-07-10T03:34:22.663Z
I'd much prefer another... (see edit)
John
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-07-10T22:09:17.280Z
@JohnChristie: yes he does mention Hebbs law several times...
Greg McNulty
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-07-10T01:27:30.167Z
2012-07-10T03:35:00.773Z
2012-07-10T03:35:00.773Z
John
<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/jpJlI.jpg" alt="enter image description here">  </p>

<p>In this snippet from "You Are Not Your Brain: The 4-Step Solution for Changing Bad Habits, Ending Unhealthy Thinking, and Taking Control of Your Life" by Jeffrey Schwartz</p>

<p>Schwartz states that refocusing attention can actually change brain structure so that habitual ways of the brain are physically broken and other new healthy behaviors become habitual with new connections in the brain.</p>

<p>Are their any other studies along these lines that mention how to change how one thinks and feels habitually?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-07-10T00:57:53.320Z
To clarify, are you concerned about changing thought patterns and habits or are you concerned about the mechanism in the brain by which this change occurs?
Jeromy Anglim
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-07-10T02:15:33.913Z
Are you asking if learning changes the brain? Is the answer not obvious? Or are you asking something more precise? Where is your [initial research](http://meta.cogsci.stackexchange.com/q/66/29)? Also, you are misusing the reference-request tag. I am VtC as NARQ.
Artem Kaznatcheev
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-07-10T15:50:42.567Z
Could you post the relevant text as a quote instead of an image? use > before the text to indicate a quote
Zelda
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-07-10T22:12:33.440Z
@ArtemKaznatcheev: the book I just finished reading, stated above is part of the initial research, as his material was closest to what I was asking. I am looking for other findings specifically as stated in the question - "to change how one habitually thinks and feels?"
Greg McNulty
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-07-10T23:05:53.570Z
@GregMcNulty From a scientific perspective, I think it's hard for us to swallow that a self-help text can be cited as a primary source for anything.  I think what Artem means is that looking into this from the perspective of textbooks on learning and memory or journal articles is going to give you a much cleaner perspective than someone out to sell books.
Chuck Sherrington
<reference-request>
How to change the brain in order to change how one habitually thinks and feels?
Greg McNulty
# How to change the brain in order to change how one habitually thinks and feels?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-07-10)

![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/jpJlI.jpg)

In this snippet from "You Are Not Your Brain: The 4-Step Solution for Changing Bad Habits, Ending Unhealthy Thinking, and Taking Control of Your Life" by Jeffrey Schwartz

Schwartz states that refocusing attention can actually change brain structure so that habitual ways of the brain are physically broken and other new healthy behaviors become habitual with new connections in the brain.

Are their any other studies along these lines that mention how to change how one thinks and feels habitually?

**Tags:** reference-request

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: To clarify, are you concerned about changing thought patterns and habits or are you concerned about the mechanism in the brain by which this change occurs?  
> **username_2**: Are you asking if learning changes the brain? Is the answer not obvious? Or are you asking something more precise? Where is your [initial research](http://meta.cogsci.stackexchange.com/q/66/29)? Also, you are misusing the reference-request tag. I am VtC as NARQ.  
> **username_3**: Could you post the relevant text as a quote instead of an image? use > before the text to indicate a quote  
> **username_0**: @ArtemKaznatcheev: the book I just finished reading, stated above is part of the initial research, as his material was closest to what I was asking. I am looking for other findings specifically as stated in the question - "to change how one habitually thinks and feels?"  
> **username_4**: @GregMcNulty From a scientific perspective, I think it's hard for us to swallow that a self-help text can be cited as a primary source for anything.  I think what Artem means is that looking into this from the perspective of textbooks on learning and memory or journal articles is going to give you a much cleaner perspective than someone out to sell books.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_5 on 2012-07-10. Score: 9 | Accepted answer

There's over 100 years of learning research and theorization now that pretty well establishes that yes, if your behaviour changes then your brain changes (and vice versa). When you learned to tie your shoes your brain changed. It quickly became a habit and you don't even think of it... can't even do it if you do. When you learned to speak your brain changed. When you had a child of your own and spent 6 weeks without regular sleep your brain changed. It's hard to give you a specific reference for any of that. The brain is what guides your behaviour. If your behaviour is changing then your brain is changing. Your brain changing is neither magical or surprising, that's how you learn.

That said, I've never seen the "habit" centre.

If you really want a reference start with [this](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebbian_theory).

[Aside: It's kind of absurd that he talks about how you are not your brain but now you're going to change your brain to make a new you.]

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: If you desire, then you can give one reference: [the wikipedia article on mind-body problem](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mind%E2%80%93body_problem)  
> **username_5**: I'd much prefer another... (see edit)  
> **username_0**: @username_5Christie: yes he does mention Hebbs law several times...  

---

