EVANSTON, Ill., Aug 6, 2009 (UPI via COMTEX) -- People say they have more
restraint than they actually possess -- leading to poor decisions when tempted
with greed, lust or drugs, U.S. researchers said.
Study leader Loran Nordgren of the Kellogg School of Management in Evanston,
Ill., examined how an individual's belief in his or her ability to control
impulses -- such as greed, drug craving and sexual arousal -- influence
responses to temptation.
"People are not good at anticipating the power of their urges, and those who are
the most confident about their self-control are the most likely to give into
temptation," Nordgren said in a statement. "The key is simply to avoid any
situations where vices and other weaknesses thrive and, most importantly, for
individuals to keep a humble view of their willpower."
The study, published in the journal Psychological Science, said the study
focused on personal behaviors such as smoking and eating, but it is easy to
apply the findings to a broader context such as oversight or regulatory
guidelines for business and political leaders.
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