At least at the NYT, huh, Pinch?
Posted on 04/03/2008 8:45:36 PM PDT by neverdem
DECLINING house prices, rising job layoffs, skyrocketing oil costs and a major credit crunch have brought consumer confidence to its lowest point in five years. With a relatively long recession looking increasingly likely, many American families may be planning to tighten their belts.
Interestingly, restraining our consumer spending, in the short term, may cause us to actually loosen the belts around our waists. What’s the connection? The brain has a limited capacity for self-regulation, so exerting willpower in one area often leads to backsliding in others. The good news, however, is that practice increases willpower capacity, so that in the long run, buying less now may improve our ability to achieve future goals — like losing those 10 pounds we gained when we weren’t out shopping.
The brain’s store of willpower is depleted when people control their thoughts, feelings or impulses, or when they modify their behavior in pursuit of goals. Psychologist Roy Baumeister and others have found that people who successfully accomplish one task requiring self-control are less persistent on a second, seemingly unrelated task.
In one pioneering study, some people were asked to eat radishes while others received freshly baked chocolate chip cookies before trying to solve an impossible puzzle. The radish-eaters abandoned the puzzle in eight minutes on average, working less than half as long as people who got cookies or those who were excused from eating radishes. Similarly, people who were asked to circle every “e” on a page of text then showed less persistence in watching a video of an unchanging table and wall.
Other activities that deplete willpower include resisting food or drink, suppressing emotional responses, restraining aggressive or sexual impulses, taking exams and trying to impress someone. Task persistence is also reduced when people are stressed or tired from exertion or lack of...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Apparently, this is a real problem at the NY times...
This is a joke, right? Suppressing sexual urges will reduce you willpower? And that is compared to being able to watch a film of an unchanging table scene? Who dreams up this nonsense? No wonder the dollar is falling and spending is out of control.
Air execs gasp on call for more CO2
FReepmail me if you want on or off my health and science ping list.
Solution? Let Government run everything. But, people run the government. Hmmmmm. Perhaps the Founders were right after all.
At least at the NYT, huh, Pinch?
Did they actually spend money on paper and ink to print this story?
I call BS!
I read the first two paragraphs and wondered similarly.....
I doubt that you have read the complete article. Read it. It's the printer friendly version. The Times has only one ad on it for "Under The Same Moon."
Here's the authors: "Sandra Aamodt, the editor in chief of Nature Neuroscience, and Sam Wang, an associate professor of molecular biology and neuroscience at Princeton, are the authors of 'Welcome to Your Brain: Why You Lose Your Car Keys but Never Forget How to Drive and Other Puzzles of Everyday Life.'"
It goes into brain physiology and neuropsychological testing to the results from completing boot camp. Trust me.
Read the whole story. You'll be pleasantly surprised. Trust me.
btt
btt
okay....I’m printing it off and will take it to bed for my nighttime reading.....we’ll see if I fall asleep before I’m done (I usually don’t with most writing.)
to me this is so friggin’ obvious. Basic, and I mean, basic, psychological theory worked from the notion of the brain being like a steam engine with only so much energy for each task. Less energy = less willpower.
Doom and gloom from the slimes.
You didn't even read it, but for the first paragraphs, obviously. Why would I post it if that was all it was? I have better things to do with my time. If you can't read it, please don't bother with meaningless comments. Trust me. It's worth reading.
Gee . Just how inbred are the Sulzbergers to leave young Putz in charge?
When life give you lemons...
...but you don't make lemonade with that aspartame/nutrisweet/excito-toxin crap as that will surely destroy brain function.
Interesting article, neverdem. I did read it all. Thanks for posting.
...willpower can grow in the long term. Like a muscle, willpower seems to become stronger with use.I learned this reading Green Lantern comics when I was growing up! Buying comics is much more cost-effective than funding studies by college professors.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.