Why did removing the food vendors change the crowd?
In Duhigg's account, an Army major in Kufa interrupted a recurring crowd pattern by removing food vendors. Hungry spectators went home. The story stayed with him: back in the United States, he began investigating the science of habits.
The reporter became one of his own test cases.
While interviewing psychologists, Duhigg also asked about his daily cookie habit. He tried different rewards and concluded that conversation, rather than the cookie, was what he wanted. A research question became something readers could investigate in their own lives.
A book, with national media attention.
The hardcover appeared on February 28, 2012. His official site records a TODAY appearance the previous day; Fresh Air interviewed him the following week. These are documented launch-period appearances. The available sources do not establish the marketing budget or the sales effect of either appearance.
Official publisher ↗ · Official author site ↗ · Original interview archive, March 5, 2012 ↗