Prompt Cast
The Science of Willpower and How it Affects Decision-Making
TLDR Willpower is a complex concept that varies among individuals and can be depleted, but researchers have found that consuming glucose can help replenish it. People living in poverty have to exercise their willpower more often and have fewer resources to replenish it, making it even more difficult for them to improve their situation.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
The podcast episode titled "SYSK Selects: How Willpower Works" discusses the concept of willpower and how it can be difficult for most people to maintain.
04:09
Willpower is the ability to overcome lower urges and pursue higher goals, but it varies among individuals and is often at odds with our own nature and societal expectations.
08:05
Willpower is associated with the ego and is considered a finite resource that can be depleted, as shown in studies involving chocolate and radishes, and the use of working memory to resist temptation and focus on long-term goals.
12:08
Using MRIs, researchers found that the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex light up when people are making decisions about food, with the latter being associated with working memory and self-control.
16:21
Researchers have found that a shot of glucose can replenish willpower and help with decision-making.
20:12
Researchers have found that people who experience willpower fatigue tend to make risk-averse decisions and are less likely to grant parole, but consuming glucose can help replenish willpower and lead to more favorable decisions.
23:52
The marshmallow experiment from the 1960s found that children who were able to delay gratification and wait for a second marshmallow had greater success in life, while a follow-up study found that people are more willing to exercise willpower if they believe that what they are waiting for will actually happen.
27:36
People living in poverty have to exercise their willpower more often and have fewer resources to replenish it, making it even more difficult for them to improve their situation.
32:07
The hosts discuss how their podcast has helped listeners improve their dating lives and express their desire to hear more positive stories from listeners.
Categories:
Society & Culture
