Understanding the balance between goal-directed and habitual behavioral control

Decisions can be reached in different ways. Sometimes they involve careful consideration of the expected outcome of our behavior. Other times, behavior is generated more automatically if a particular response has been repeatedly successful in the past. I review animal research into goal-directed and habit learning including common training paradigms and studies investigating the neural substrates of actions and habits. Further, I summarize the wide range of factors (e.g., drugs, stress, diet) that promote habitual control. Since habitual control is prevalent across a range of neuropsychiatric disorders it is important to be able to accurately identify when behavior is habitual and better understanding of the behavioral and neural determinants of habitual control may enable behavior change when needed.