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Bad Habits? My Future Self Will Deal With That
The New York Times: I’VE been wanting to change some of my longstanding habits that I’m not so fond of. But I think I’ve discovered why this can be so difficult. It’s how we think
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Updating the Psychology of Self-Control
The Wall Street Journal: An influential theory of self-control holds that willpower is like a muscle — it is depleted through exertion, and it can be replenished by ingesting simple carbohydrates. There’s a book out
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Where Does Self-Discipline Come From?
Willpower is the key to much that’s good in life. Willpower is what makes us save for the future rather than splurge now. It helps us to keep our heads down, studying and working when
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Why willpower matters – and how to get it
The Guardian: In the smart restaurant of a very smart hotel in the West End of London, Roy F Baumeister, eminent American social psychology professor, orders a lunch of fish and chips, and then decides not to
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Facebook and Twitter ‘more addictive than tobacco and alcohol’
The Telegraph: Resisting the urge to check social networking sites for updates is more difficult than turning down a drink, according to a study of people’s everyday desires. The survey of 250 people found that
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Study of the Day: Religion Boosts Patience, Has Practical Benefits
The Atlantic: Faith doesn’t just assuage fears about the afterlife. Research published in Psychological Science shows that it fuels self-control too. PROBLEM: Religious believers are often called on to exercise self-control. Christians, for instance, are
