The As If Principle by Richard Wiseman

Author:Richard Wiseman
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Free Press

Muscle Magic

People who are highly motivated often tense their muscles as they get ready to spring into action. But is the opposite also true? Can you boost your willpower by tensing your muscles?

Ris Hung from the National University of Singapore and his colleague decided to find out.35 Hung assembled several groups of participants and asked them to keep their hands submerged in an ice bucket for as long as possible, consume a healthy but terrible-tasting vinegar drink, or visit a local cafeteria and buy healthy food rather than sugary snacks. Each time, half of the participants were asked to tighten certain muscles by making their hand into a fist, sitting down and lifting their heels off the floor, holding a pen by tightly weaving it between their fingers, or contracting their bicep. Each of these exercises was designed to make the participants behave as if they were trying hard to exert self-control. The results showed that those carrying out the exercises were more likely to keep their hand in the bucket of ice for longer, down more vinegar, or buy healthier food.

Next time you feel your willpower draining away, try to tense a muscle. Consider, for example, making a fist, contracting your bicep, pressing your thumb and first finger together, or gripping a pen in your hand.

If all else fails, try crossing your arms. Another study, this one conducted by Ron Friedman and Andrew Elliot from the University of Rochester in New York, involved asking people to tackle difficult anagrams with either their arms crossed or resting on their thighs.36 By folding their arms, people were acting as if they were persistent. The volunteers with their arms folded continued to persevere for nearly twice as long as those with their hands on their thighs.

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