Small bribes may help people build healthy handwashing habits

An experiment sheds light on how to deliberately transform behaviors into ingrained routines

two people washing their hands under a kitchen faucet

Handwashing is one of the most difficult habits to get people to adopt, but doling out small bribes up front can yield long-term results that lead to improved health.

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Good habits are hard to adopt. But a little bribery can go a long way.