The psychology behind New Year’s resolutions

 

   Many people set their New Year’s resolutions, get motivated and may let it go by February, or some are able to continue it throughout the year. Either way, at some point they all feel a drop in motivation. 

   According to a survey conducted by YouGov in April 2019, seven per cent of people fully stuck to their New Year’s resolutions, 22 per cent mostly did, 11 per cent have not and four per cent did not at all. 

   YouGov also found that 54 per cent of people did not make any resolutions at all.

   Reem Adas, who has her Honours BA in psychology and minor in sociology, said the approach to New Year’s resolutions is the problem. 

   “I think that it’s a good idea, I don’t think that trying to change yourself for the better is bad, I just think that how we approach it and how people map out their goals is the problem,” said Adas. “My New Year’s resolution was to think more positively, so if I’m faced with a challenge to instantly think what is this trying to teach me rather than go into this cave of negativity.” 

   About half of Canadians want to exercise more, half want to save money, 48 per cent want to eat healthier and 42 per cent want to lose weight, according to a YouGov survey conducted in December 2019. 

Shaylynn Biscan, 20, said it is important to make goals for yourself, but New Year’s resolutions are more of a social construct. 

   “My resolution is to be able to locate what I get angry at and deal with it,” said Biscan. “I think it can be a social concept to make you feel bad for not being better, and instead of waiting for the New Year to come around, we should try to better ourselves all year.” 

 Studies done by Hengchen Dai, Katherine Milkman and Jason Riis of the University of Pennsylvania found that temporal landmarks such as the new year encourage aspirational behaviour. 

   “I think that the need to create a New Year’s resolution comes from the fact that sometimes there are things about ourselves we want to change but we don’t know how or where to start,” said Adas. “When everyone is doing it, it motivates us to reflect and wonder what we can do.”    

   Adas recommends mapping out how to achieve the goal and rewarding yourself for steps taken in the right direction to stay motivated throughout the year.