Tighten Your Belt, Strengthen Your Mind

NY Times ^ | April 2, 2008 | SANDRA AAMODT and SAM WANG

[bill1952]

The brain has a limited capacity for self-regulation,

Apparently, this is a real problem at the NY times...

[TruthConquers]

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.

[neverdem]

Study Links Smoking Bans to OWIs driving while intoxicated!

Air execs gasp on call for more CO2

FReepmail me if you want on or off my health and science ping list.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

["The brain has a limited capacity for self-regulation, so exerting willpower in one area often leads to backsliding in others....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."]

Solution? Let Government run everything. But, people run the government. Hmmmmm. Perhaps the Founders were right after all.

[martin_fierro]

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.

At least at the NYT, huh, Pinch?

[Republic of Texas]

Did they actually spend money on paper and ink to print this story?

[notdownwidems]

I call BS!

[goodnesswins]

I read the first two paragraphs and wondered similarly.....

[neverdem]

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.

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.

[neverdem]

I read the first two paragraphs and wondered similarly.....

Read the whole story. You'll be pleasantly surprised. Trust me.

[Cacique]

btt

[Cacique]

btt

[goodnesswins]

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.)

[bioqubit]

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.

[Mogollon]

Doom and gloom from the slimes.

[neverdem]

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.

[OeOeO]

Gee . Just how inbred are the Sulzbergers to leave young Putz in charge?

[PGalt]

People who drink a glass of lemonade between completing one task requiring self-control and beginning a second one perform equally well on both tasks, while people who drink sugarless diet lemonade make more errors on the second task than on the first.

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.

[NewJerseyJoe]

From the article:

...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.