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Willpower poll thread! Answer according to ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ intuition of what willpower and how you think about it.
Set up: consider that you consciously endorse some action X (going to the gym, doing work, avoiding
) and also have a strong urge to do Not-X (sit on couch eating).
Set up: consider that you consciously endorse some action X (going to the gym, doing work, avoiding
) and also have a strong urge to do Not-X (sit on couch eating).
What would you call "using willpower to do X"?
A - specific cognitive technique, eg repeating a mantra or self-bargaining
B - any cognitive effort, eg just focusing hard on how much you should do X
C - any conscious process even if easy, eg just remembering you wanted to do X
A - specific cognitive technique, eg repeating a mantra or self-bargaining
B - any cognitive effort, eg just focusing hard on how much you should do X
C - any conscious process even if easy, eg just remembering you wanted to do X
One way to do X more reliably is to set up the environment so that doing X is easier, for example laying out your gym clothes or avoiding buyingat the grocery store. Would call doing this set up "exercising willpower"? How about doing X after a successful setup made it easy?
at the grocery store. Would call doing this set up "exercising willpower"? How about doing X after a successful setup made it easy?
Can you exercise willpower without being consciously aware that you're doing it?
You're on the couch, remember that you wanted to do X, but the urge to Not-X is currently winning. Can you get yourself to X in the moment by cognitive effort (thinking) alone?
A - almost always
B - depends on circumstance, like tiredness/blood glucose
C - very rarely
A - almost always
B - depends on circumstance, like tiredness/blood glucose
C - very rarely
It's important that you do X but you have failed to do so the last few times. What are you likeliest to try?
Is willpower something that can be trained or lost over months, like a skill?
Is willpower something that can be acquired and exhausted in an hour, like a resource?
Is willpower something that can be acquired and exhausted in an hour, like a resource?
Please elaborate below:
โข How do you think about willpower?
โข How can exercising willpower be unconscious?
โข What circumstances does overcoming strong urges with cognitive effort depend on?
โข Should we talk about willpower more or trash the concept?
โข How do you think about willpower?
โข How can exercising willpower be unconscious?
โข What circumstances does overcoming strong urges with cognitive effort depend on?
โข Should we talk about willpower more or trash the concept?
