Habit Loop (Cue-Routine-Reward)

Biological Parallel

Crows learn that road intersections (cue) provide nut-cracking service (routine) when cars crush shells (reward). After repetition, the sight of an intersection triggers automatic nut-dropping without deliberation. Habit loops are neural efficiency: automate reliable cause-effect sequences to free cognition for novel problems. The basal ganglia evolved to convert repeated behaviors into automatic routines. Habits aren't lazy—they're metabolically efficient. Consciousness is expensive; autopilot is cheap.