Activation Energy (Psychology)
The initial effort required to start a behavior, determining likelihood of action.
Also known as: Behavioral activation, Starting energy, Action threshold
Category: Concepts
Tags: psychology, behaviors, habits, productivity, changes
Explanation
Activation energy in psychology (borrowed from chemistry) refers to the initial effort, energy, or friction required to start a behavior. Just as chemical reactions need initial energy to begin, behaviors require overcoming initial resistance. The concept explains why: easy activities happen more (low activation energy), difficult ones don't start (high activation energy), and small changes in effort requirements dramatically affect behavior. Reducing activation energy involves: preparing in advance, removing obstacles, and making starting easier. Increasing it (for unwanted behaviors) involves: adding friction, requiring extra steps, and creating barriers. The 20-second rule suggests that reducing activation energy by just 20 seconds significantly increases likelihood of behavior. Applications include: laying out workout clothes (reduces exercise activation energy), keeping phone in another room (increases distraction activation energy), and preparing healthy snacks (reduces healthy eating activation energy). For knowledge workers, understanding activation energy means: designing environments that lower activation for productive behaviors and raise it for unproductive ones.
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