Studying the Depletion and Regeneration of Willpower
September 29th, 2009 |
A GoodTherapy.org News Headline
Throughout history, people have shown that the will to perform great deeds and achieve marvelous things is quite possible to muster, but many find that accomplishing a litany of challenging tasks in a short period of time is especially difficult. Putting the connections between cognitive and physical tasks to the test, a research team at McMaster University administered color-based Stroop tests to a study group, then monitored the occurrences and extents of exercise performed by volunteers. Those whose willpower had been “depleted” by the cognitive challenge of the test were less likely to follow through with their workouts, and performed more poorly during physical activity, if enacted. The study may prove useful in further research into the precise mechanisms of willpower.
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These kind of studies need to be encouraged as they point to a solution for finding our ‘hidden’ strength and may help ordinary people in performing extra-ordinary tasks.
That’s interesting. I spent years attempting to convince my husband that I was tired out when I came home after a particularly mentally challenging day at work and didn’t want to move from the couch for the rest of the evening. He always laughed because he thought you had to exert yourself physically to be tired. “Pen pushing” as he put it, wasn’t like lifting weights.