Exploring the Relationship Between Steely Muscles and Steely Resolve
Self-control of one form or another is a challenge for most people. Describe the basics of this age-old conflict.
Self-control dilemmas typically involve trying to resist something that is immediately tempting, but that we know is not good for us in the long-term. For example, say you need to lose some weight, but you really feel like eating that piece of chocolate cake on the buffet: you are fully aware that doing so conflicts with your long-term goal and that you should restrain yourself; but will you?
In another study, we told people that the ability to withstand icy water indicates how good your blood circulation is. We got a bucket of ice, and Iris and I learned that it is actually very painful to submerge your hand in it -- even for a few seconds. Nevertheless, we asked people to put their dominant hand in the bucket. For some, we asked that they clench their other hand at the same time. What we found is that, because people believed that submerging their hand for a longer period indicated strong blood circulation, i.e., it was an indicator of their long-term health, those who clenched their other fist were able to submerge their hand for a significantly longer period.
[This article has been reprinted, with permission, from Rotman Management, the magazine of the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management]