Is Human Behavior Consistent Over Time?
I almost never watch the nightly news, it’s too depressing. But last night, it was on and I looked up from being distracted by my kids to catch a blurb about credit cards and credit scores. I didn’t catch the entire segment, but there was a line that caught my attention. It was something along the line of creditors basing their data on the fact that “human behavior remains consistent over time”. They bank on the “fact” that once a person is a spender, they are always a spender. That a person with bad credit will rarely change their ways to fix it.
It caught my attention because I totally 100% disagree. Do I think there are people out there who continually behave the same way day in and day out and seem unlikely to change? Sure. I know a few. Some who just don’t seem to get it. Those that keep eating the same, spending the same, treating people poorly the same, and don’t see the error of their ways or any desire to change it. Negativity abounds.
But there are so many people that I know that it just isn’t true. So based on my own unscientific research of spending the last hour thinking of all the people I know and whether or not they are people who behave consistently or people who don’t - if they are people that make changes according to seeing something just isn’t working - I have come to the conclusion that whatever correspondent it was on CBS that said so is wrong! 
Wrong, I say!
I know people like Lynnae at Being Frugal who destroyed her credit cards, Paid Twice who is kicking her debt’s butt and Brip Blap who lost 100 pounds. And as I rattled off all my real life friends, I could name almost immediately things they have changed about themselves for the long term. Whether it’s spending or dieting or adding exercise to their life or just a positive attitude, for every person I know not yet self aware enough to make drastic changes for the better, there are so many that ARE making changes, improving their life, and changing their ultimate behavior in the day to day. Maybe it’s just me. Maybe I just gravitate toward people who have made or are making inspiring changes for the better in their life. Maybe there is this whole other universe out there of spenders and people who just can’t see clearly enough that life is too short to live anything but a completely wonderful, healthy, fulfilling life.
So, what do you think? I didn’t even get started on my own laundry list of personal improvements but those who know me, know I cut up my credit cards years ago, I said adios to destructive habits and I have embraced a positive attitude and simplicity head on. Are we, as humans, destined to continue behaviors, good or bad? Or are we self aware enough to make those changes when something is clearly unhealthy, destructive and negative?
I’d love to hear other people’s thoughts on this.
Good question! I obviously think people can change. But I also think a lot of people go with the flow and compare themselves to other people. So people tend to do whatever is popular in society at the moment.
But I think when someone who becomes influential makes a big change (like Dave Ramsey & getting out of debt), they start making people think, and more and more people are willing to make the change, because now the change is becoming popular.
Wow, could I say “change” any more in that sentence??? Thanks for the link!
Hey! I think it is true what they said. I come from a family with financial problems and a bankrupty. Now I try to be different from them, but I have been in trouble several time. Now I am to the head in debt and I propose myself to get out from debt and stay like that forver. This require so much power, it is like to leave cigarettes or drugs. Read my story at to.the.finance.freedom
I think a lot of people don’t change because it’s much more comfortable not to.
I think those that do change have significant motivation. Maybe it was getting uncomfortable to stay the way they were…and they definitely can be more comfortable after defeating the debt or losing the weight.
It’s easy to get discouraged. And it’s at that point that you have to decide whether or not to slip back into the old habits or keep going.
Theoretically speaking, human behavior is pretty consistent over time. But statistics is just the law of averages, so that doesn’t mean that every single person is like that. Just the average person. So if you were going to bet on a random stranger being consistent or not consistent, your chances are better betting on consistency.
That being said, I think there is still some debate over whether consistency is true given different situations. So if a person’s situation changes, it could change their behavior. In that case, your betting risk is less clear.
One thing I have noticed about people - behavior is often shifted. Someone might make improvements in personal finance issues, but then problems start cropping up in terms of nutrition or health. IE, unhealthy spending becomes unhealthy eating. It’s hard to change life-long habits!
I’m with Deepali - the people who give the credit card companies their biggest profits make a up certain percentage of the population which remains constant. As one person stops using CC then another person takes their place.
Mike
Good points, everyone! I guess I have to remember all the people that jump into the debt world as others are jumping out. I don’t doubt that the credit card companies make a lot of money based on people not ever changing their spending.
And I totally agree about the transferring of habits. I have seen a lot of people give up one bad thing and replace it with another.
Thanks for the discussion and thoughts!
People can change their behaviors. They just have to be very, very determined and disciplined. Sadly, most people can not muster determination and discipline for any length of time. There has to be a sustaining motivation.
I agree with Donna.
It takes quite a lot to change one’s behavior. The CC companies and other nasty lenders like pay day lenders etc., work on the basic premise that not many are disciplined.
[...] Remodeling This Life: Is Human Behavior Consistent Over Time? [...]
I would toss in that in my case the weight loss couldn’t entirely be attributed to a change in my mindset, exactly. What launched it for me was a day when I had to stop and catch my breath after climbing a single flight of stairs. The attitude change was driven (basically) by a fear of dying.
Of course, most changes in attitude ARE probably driven by external events. I am not sure I’ve ever had any significant changes in my basic nature, actually. I think it’s just been a redirection of efforts or attention in one way or another based on reactions to those external events.
Thought-provoking post!