Zentall is alluding to a new and controversial theory of addiction. Since the 1990s, we’ve thought addiction is caused by unseen chemical phenomena deep in the brain. But more thinkers like Zentall realize that we have more in common with unstimulated pigeons and other animals than we might think. And their theories don’t just apply to drugs and alcohol. It’s a framework that can help us understand the root cause of any habit that delivers short-term comfort at the expense of long-term growth and fulfillment.
