Self-control

Why can't I stay on a diet? Why do I put off studying for tests and writing reports? Why can't I save any money? Self Control: Waiting Until Tomorrow for What You Want Today provides a comprehensive answer to the question of why it is so difficult for some people (and animals) to show self-control under certain conditions. Alexandra W. Logue explains how evolution has affected our ability to choose actions that, over the long run, will result in valuable consequences. She argues that evolutionary factors have caused us to discount delayed events, making it difficult to wait or work for things that may be important to us, but which may not occur for some time. Integrating both basic and applied research on self-control, Logue describes the research base that links self-control and evolution, in addition to detailing methods that can be used to lessen the constraints of our evolutionary heritage. The author also describes applications of basic research to understanding and treating a wide variety of self-control problems.