One way to enhance self-control is to avoid tempting situations. The irony, according to a recent study, is that people who think they have more self-control allow themselves to get into more tempting situations and, as a result, are more likely to give in to temptation. For example, students who were made to feel fatigued were less confident in their ability to control fatigue and were less willing to put off studying for exams. Smokers who were led to believe that they had superior self-control were more willing to keep a proscribed cigarette in their proximity while watching the movie “Coffee and Cigarettes,” and, as a result, they were more likely to smoke it. Likewise, smokers who were trying to quit and who also felt they had high self-control were less likely to have abstained four months later, on account of not being diligent enough in avoiding temptation.

Nordgren, L. et al., “The Restraint Bias: How the Illusion of Self-Restraint Promotes Impulsive Behavior,” Psychological Science (December 2009).

Divided by color Since the 2000 election, political analysts have consistently referred to Republican-leaning states as “red” and Democratic-leaning states as “blue.” Of course, states are not composed entirely of Republicans or Democrats, and, in fact, most states have a pretty even mix. Nevertheless, researchers wondered what effect the red-blue dichotomy might have on perceptions of political reality. People were shown electoral maps with a stark red-blue scheme, with a scheme where red and blue were mixed in proportion to the vote, or the same maps but with numeric data. People who saw the map with the stark red-blue scheme and without numeric data assumed that the nation was more divided, that there were greater differences on specific political issues, and that one’s vote was less likely to matter. Since the 2000 election, political analysts have consistently referred to Republican-leaning states as “red” and Democratic-leaning states as “blue.” Of course, states are not composed entirely of Republicans or Democrats, and, in fact, most states have a pretty even mix. Nevertheless, researchers wondered what effect the red-blue dichotomy might have on perceptions of political reality. People were shown electoral maps with a stark red-blue scheme, with a scheme where red and blue were mixed in proportion to the vote, or the same maps but with numeric data. People who saw the map with the stark red-blue scheme and without numeric data assumed that the nation was more divided, that there were greater differences on specific political issues, and that one’s vote was less likely to matter.

Rutchick, A. et al., “Seeing Red (and Blue): Effects of Electoral College Depictions on Political Group Perception,” Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy (December 2009).