Chapter 8 Flashcards
Infected! Why Willpower Is Contagious
What does the obesity epidemic suggest about weight gain?
Weight gain can spread contagiously from person to person, similar to the spread of contagious illnesses like the flu.
By how much does a friend’s obesity increase your own risk of becoming obese?
A friend’s obesity increases your own future risk of obesity by 171 percent.
What is the increased risk of obesity for a woman whose sister becomes obese?
A woman whose sister becomes obese faces a 67 percent increased risk of becoming obese herself.
What about the risk for a man whose brother becomes obese?
When one person increases their drinking, friends and family often follow suit, leading to increased bar tabs and hangovers throughout the social network.
What phenomenon illustrates the contagiousness of positive behavior change?
When one person quits smoking, it increases the likelihood that their friends and family will also quit, demonstrating that both negative and positive behaviors can spread socially.
What should you consider regarding your social network and willpower challenges?
Reflect on:
Whether others in your social network share the same willpower challenge.
If you picked up a habit from a friend or family member.
People you are more likely to indulge with.
If others in your network have attempted to improve in the same area recently.
What does the concept of multiple selves mean in the context of self-control?
The human mind consists of multiple selves competing for control: one self desires immediate gratification, while another self focuses on long-term goals.
Who else influences our decision-making besides our own selves?
Other individuals, such as parents, spouses, children, friends, and bosses, also influence our thoughts and behaviors as they live in our minds.
What are mirror neurons and their function?
Mirror neurons are specialized brain cells that help us track and understand what others are thinking, feeling, and doing, enhancing our ability to empathize and connect with others.
How do mirror neurons contribute to our social interactions?
These neurons are spread throughout the brain and help us comprehend the full range of other people’s experiences, facilitating emotional understanding and social bonding.
What instinct can lead us to lose willpower in social situations?
Our instinct to mimic others can cause us to unconsciously mirror their behaviors, such as reaching for snacks or drinks, which may lead to a loss of willpower.
How does the contagion of emotion affect our mood?
The contagion of emotion allows us to absorb others’ feelings; for instance, a coworker’s bad mood can influence our own mood, leading us to feel like we need a drink.
What types of emotions can spread among friends and families?
Emotions like happiness and loneliness can spread from friend to friend and through families, affecting our overall well-being.
How can the wants of others influence our own desires?
Imagining what others want can trigger our own wants; their appetites may lead us to eat more or spend more when shopping together.
What behaviors are often amplified in social situations?
We tend to eat more when in groups, gamble more after seeing someone win, and generally spend more money when shopping with friends.
What should you observe regarding your behavior in social contexts this week?
Be mindful of instances where you might be mirroring others’ behavior related to your willpower challenge. Consider if indulgence serves as social glue in your relationships and if you tend to overindulge when those around you do the same.
What do human beings naturally do when they observe others?
Humans are natural mind readers who use their social brains to guess at the goals of others in order to predict behaviors and avoid social mistakes.
What is “goal contagion”?
Goal contagion is the phenomenon where observing another person’s goals activates similar goals within us, potentially influencing our behavior.
How does goal contagion affect self-control?
Goal contagion can lead to both increased self-control and self-indulgence; however, people are particularly susceptible to the contagion of temptation.
What happens when your lunch companion orders dessert?
If your lunch companion orders dessert, her goal for immediate gratification can combine with your own, making it harder to stick to your goal of losing weight.
How can seeing someone give in to temptation enhance your self-control?
When committed to a goal, witnessing someone else indulge can activate your dominant goal, prompting your brain to develop strategies to resist temptation.
What is “counteractive control”?
Counteractive control is the brain’s heightened response to conflicting goals, where it strengthens your commitment to your primary goal when faced with temptation.
How can you strengthen your immune response to goal contagion?
Spend a few minutes each day reflecting on your own goals and the potential temptations you might face, reinforcing your intentions and helping avoid goal contagion.
What does the concept of rule-breaking being contagious imply?
When we observe others ignoring rules, we are more likely to adopt the mindset of doing whatever we want, rather than adhering to our own responsibilities.
How can witnessing others’ rule violations affect our own behavior?
Seeing others break rules or follow impulses can weaken our self-control, making us more likely to give in to our own impulses.
Give an example of how one type of rule violation can influence another.
Hearing about someone cheating on their taxes might make you feel more inclined to cheat on your diet, or seeing others speed may encourage you to overspend.
How can evidence of rule-breaking affect us even if we don’t witness the act?
We can be influenced by evidence of others breaking rules, much like germs that linger after someone has passed; knowing others have broken norms can make us feel freer to do the same.
What does research indicate about thinking of someone with good self-control?
Thinking about a person with strong self-control can enhance your own willpower and help you resist temptation.
