Learning lectures: Self-control - Apple Inc.
Transcript of Learning lectures: Self-control - Apple Inc.
Learning lectures:Self-control
Application of LEARNING Theories: Self-Control
Self-control versus self-realizationSkinner vs. Freud vs. ?
Skinner onthe nature of self-control:
"A man [sic] may spend a great deal of time designing his own life--he may choose the circumstances in which he is to live with great care, and he may manipulate his daily environment on an extensive scale.""Such activity appears to exemplify a high order of self-determination. But it is also behavior, and we account for it in terms of other variables in the environment and history of the individual. It is these variables which provide the ultimate control."
Skinner on how to delay gratification:
"Get thee behind me, Satan"
Freud’s description, vs. recommendationof how to delay gratification
• Description of the strategy commonly used:Imagine gratification (reward) as vividly as possible
How to delay gratification effectively:Secondary Process--"Cool“ Cognition, Reality Principle (Pity Date night, Wed.)Primary Process--"Hot“ Cognition, Pleasure Principle (Hot Date night, i.e., weekend!)
Holistic approaches to self-"control"
• it's all in your perspective... How you view it.
Walter Mischel's delay of gratification series
• basic paradigm: Mischel & Ebbesen (1970): How stimuli affect delay of gratification...or is it the though that counts?– Method
Design of Mischel & Ebbesen (1970):
Results of Mischel & Ebbesen (1970):
Results of Mischel & Ebbesen (1970):
Results of Mischel & Ebbesen (1970):
Average duration of delay of gratification
(minutes)
Smaller, more immediate reward
ABSENT
Smaller, more immediate reward
PRESENT
Larger, delayed reward ABSENT
Larger, delayed reward PRESENT
11.3 minutes 5.7 minutes
4.9 minutes 1.0 minute
Results of Mischel & Ebbesen (1970):
Average duration of delay of gratification
(minutes)
Smaller, more immediate reward
ABSENT
Smaller, more immediate reward
PRESENT
Larger, delayed reward ABSENT
Larger, delayed reward PRESENT
11.3 minutes 5.7 minutes
4.9 minutes 1.0 minute
Results of Mischel & Ebbesen (1970):
Average duration of delay of gratification
(minutes)
Smaller, more immediate reward
ABSENT
Smaller, more immediate reward
PRESENT
Larger, delayed reward ABSENT
Larger, delayed reward PRESENT
11.3 minutes 5.7 minutes
4.9 minutes 1.0 minute
Results of Mischel & Ebbesen (1970):
Average duration of delay of gratification
(minutes)
Smaller, more immediate reward
ABSENT
Smaller, more immediate reward
PRESENT
Larger, delayed reward ABSENT
Larger, delayed reward PRESENT
11.3 minutes 5.7 minutes
4.9 minutes 1.0 minute
Results of Mischel & Ebbesen (1970):
Average duration of delay of gratification
(minutes)
Smaller, more immediate reward
ABSENT
Smaller, more immediate reward
PRESENT
Larger, delayed reward ABSENT
Larger, delayed reward PRESENT
11.3 minutes 5.7 minutes
4.9 minutes 1.0 minute
Results of Mischel & Ebbesen (1970):
Average duration of delay of gratification
(minutes)
Smaller, more immediate reward
ABSENT
Smaller, more immediate reward
PRESENT
Larger, delayed reward ABSENT
Larger, delayed reward PRESENT
11.3 minutes 5.7 minutes
4.9 minutes 1.0 minute
Results of Mischel & Ebbesen (1970):
Average duration of delay of gratification
(minutes)
Smaller, more immediate reward
ABSENT
Smaller, more immediate reward
PRESENT
Larger, delayed reward ABSENT
Larger, delayed reward PRESENT
11.3 minutes 5.7 minutes
4.9 minutes 1.0 minute
Results of Mischel & Ebbesen (1970):
Average duration of delay of gratification
(minutes)
Smaller, more immediate reward
ABSENT
Smaller, more immediate reward
PRESENT
Larger, delayed reward ABSENT
Larger, delayed reward PRESENT
11.3 minutes 5.7 minutes
4.9 minutes 1.0 minute
Results of Mischel & Ebbesen (1970):
Average duration of delay of gratification
(minutes)
Smaller, more immediate reward
ABSENT
Smaller, more immediate reward
PRESENT
Larger, delayed reward ABSENT
Larger, delayed reward PRESENT
11.3 minutes 5.7 minutes
4.9 minutes 1.0 minute
Discussion of Mischel & Ebbesen (1970)
Who was right?(according to the present findings …)Skinner?Freud?
Stay tuned!
Mischel, Ebbesen & Zeiss (1972):
• How cognition affects delay of gratification...it's more complex that you'd think ...
Mischel, Ebbesen & Zeiss (1972):
• How cognition affects delay of gratification...it's more complex that you'd think ...
Mischel, Ebbesen & Zeiss (1972):
• How cognition affects delay of gratification...it's more complex that you'd think ...
Average duration of
delay of gratification
(minutes)
"Think thoughts
"Think thoughts"
"Think about the [rewards]"
... with rewards present during
delay
... with rewards absent during
delay
Mischel, Ebbesen & Zeiss (1972):
• How cognition affects delay of gratification...it's more complex that you'd think ...
Average duration of
delay of gratification
(minutes)
"Think happy thoughts
"Think thoughts"
"Think about the [rewards]"
... with rewards present during
delay
... with rewards absent during
delay
Mischel, Ebbesen & Zeiss (1972):
• How cognition affects delay of gratification...it's more complex that you'd think ...
Average duration of
delay of gratification
(minutes)
"Think happy thoughts
"Think sad thoughts"
"Think about the [rewards]"
... with rewards present during
delay
... with rewards absent during
delay
Mischel, Ebbesen & Zeiss (1972):
• How cognition affects delay of gratification...it's more complex that you'd think ...
Average duration of
delay of gratification
(minutes)
"Think happy thoughts
"Think sad thoughts"
"Think about the [rewards]"
... with rewards present during
delay
... with rewards absent during
delay
Mischel, Ebbesen & Zeiss (1972):
• How cognition affects delay of gratification...it's more complex that you'd think ...
Average duration of
delay of gratification
(minutes)
"Think happy thoughts
"Think sad thoughts"
"Think about the [rewards]"
... with rewards present during
delay
... with rewards absent during
delay
Mischel, Ebbesen & Zeiss (1972):
• How cognition affects delay of gratification...it's more complex that you'd think ...
Average duration of
delay of gratification
(minutes)
"Think happy thoughts
"Think sad thoughts"
"Think about the [rewards]"
... with rewards present during
delay
... with rewards absent during
delay
Mischel, Ebbesen & Zeiss (1972):
• How cognition affects delay of gratification...it's more complex that you'd think ...
Average duration of
delay of gratification
(minutes)
"Think happy thoughts
"Think sad thoughts"
"Think about the [rewards]"
... with rewards present during
delay
... with rewards absent during
delay
Mischel, Ebbesen & Zeiss (1972):
• How cognition affects delay of gratification...it's more complex that you'd think ...
Average duration of
delay of gratification
(minutes)
"Think happy thoughts
"Think sad thoughts"
"Think about the [rewards]"
... with rewards present during
delay
... with rewards absent during
delay
Mischel, Ebbesen & Zeiss (1972):
• How cognition affects delay of gratification...it's more complex that you'd think ...
Average duration of
delay of gratification
(minutes)
"Think happy thoughts
"Think sad thoughts"
"Think about the [rewards]"
... with rewards present during
delay
... with rewards absent during
delay
Mischel, Ebbesen & Zeiss (1972):
• How cognition affects delay of gratification...it's more complex that you'd think ...
Average duration of
delay of gratification
(minutes)
"Think happy thoughts
"Think sad thoughts"
"Think about the [rewards]"
... with rewards present during
delay
... with rewards absent during
delay
Mischel, Ebbesen & Zeiss (1972):
• How cognition affects delay of gratification...it's more complex that you'd think ...
Average duration of
delay of gratification
(minutes)
"Think happy thoughts
"Think sad thoughts"
"Think about the [rewards]"
... with rewards present during
delay
... with rewards absent during
delay
Mischel, Ebbesen & Zeiss (1972):
• How cognition affects delay of gratification...it's more complex that you'd think ...
Average duration of
delay of gratification
(minutes)
"Think happy thoughts
"Think sad thoughts"
"Think about the [rewards]"
... with rewards present during
delay
... with rewards absent during
delay
Procedure
• Add to Mischel & Ebbesen procedure either:"think happy" instructions"think sad" instructions"think food" instructions
Think Happy Thoughts…
"Oh, while I'm gone you can think of anything that's fun to think of, for as long as you want to, if you want to. Can you tell me something to think about that's fun?" (anything) "Yes. You can also think about singing songs, or think of playing with toys or anything that is fun to think of.“
Think Sad Thoughts…
"Oh, while I'm gone you can think of anything that is sad to think of, for as long as you want to, if you want to. Can you tell me something that is sad to think of?" (anything...) "Yes. You can also think of falling down and getting a bloody knee which hurts a lot, or you can think of crying with no one to help. You can think of anything that makes you unhappy."
Think about Food…
"Oh, while I'm gone you can think of the [marshmallows] for as long as you want to, if you want to. And, while I'm gone you can think of the [marshmallows] for as long as you want to, if you want to. While I'm gone you can think of the [marshmallows] for as long as you want to, if you want to.”
Results of Mischel, Ebbesen, & Zeiss (1972)
Results of Mischel, Ebbesen, & Zeiss (1972)
Results of Mischel, Ebbesen, & Zeiss (1972)
Average duration of
delay of gratification
(minutes)
"Think thoughts
"Think thoughts"
"Think about the [rewards]"
... with rewards present during
delay
... with rewards absent during
delay
13.5 5.0 4.4
14.4 (condition not replicated) 0.8
Results of Mischel, Ebbesen, & Zeiss (1972)
Average duration of
delay of gratification
(minutes)
"Think happy thoughts
"Think thoughts"
"Think about the [rewards]"
... with rewards present during
delay
... with rewards absent during
delay
13.5 5.0 4.4
14.4 (condition not replicated) 0.8
Results of Mischel, Ebbesen, & Zeiss (1972)
Average duration of
delay of gratification
(minutes)
"Think happy thoughts
"Think sad thoughts"
"Think about the [rewards]"
... with rewards present during
delay
... with rewards absent during
delay
13.5 5.0 4.4
14.4 (condition not replicated) 0.8
Results of Mischel, Ebbesen, & Zeiss (1972)
Average duration of
delay of gratification
(minutes)
"Think happy thoughts
"Think sad thoughts"
"Think about the [rewards]"
... with rewards present during
delay
... with rewards absent during
delay
13.5 5.0 4.4
14.4 (condition not replicated) 0.8
Results of Mischel, Ebbesen, & Zeiss (1972)
Average duration of
delay of gratification
(minutes)
"Think happy thoughts
"Think sad thoughts"
"Think about the [rewards]"
... with rewards present during
delay
... with rewards absent during
delay
13.5 5.0 4.4
14.4 (condition not replicated) 0.8
Results of Mischel, Ebbesen, & Zeiss (1972)
Average duration of
delay of gratification
(minutes)
"Think happy thoughts
"Think sad thoughts"
"Think about the [rewards]"
... with rewards present during
delay
... with rewards absent during
delay
13.5 5.0 4.4
14.4 (condition not replicated) 0.8
Results of Mischel, Ebbesen, & Zeiss (1972)
Average duration of
delay of gratification
(minutes)
"Think happy thoughts
"Think sad thoughts"
"Think about the [rewards]"
... with rewards present during
delay
... with rewards absent during
delay
13.5 5.0 4.4
14.4 (condition not replicated) 0.8
Results of Mischel, Ebbesen, & Zeiss (1972)
Average duration of
delay of gratification
(minutes)
"Think happy thoughts
"Think sad thoughts"
"Think about the [rewards]"
... with rewards present during
delay
... with rewards absent during
delay
13.5 5.0 4.4
14.4 (condition not replicated) 0.8
Results of Mischel, Ebbesen, & Zeiss (1972)
Average duration of
delay of gratification
(minutes)
"Think happy thoughts
"Think sad thoughts"
"Think about the [rewards]"
... with rewards present during
delay
... with rewards absent during
delay
13.5 5.0 4.4
14.4 (condition not replicated) 0.8
Results of Mischel, Ebbesen, & Zeiss (1972)
Average duration of
delay of gratification
(minutes)
"Think happy thoughts
"Think sad thoughts"
"Think about the [rewards]"
... with rewards present during
delay
... with rewards absent during
delay
13.5 5.0 4.4
14.4 (condition not replicated) 0.8
Results of Mischel, Ebbesen, & Zeiss (1972)
Average duration of
delay of gratification
(minutes)
"Think happy thoughts
"Think sad thoughts"
"Think about the [rewards]"
... with rewards present during
delay
... with rewards absent during
delay
13.5 5.0 4.4
14.4 (condition not replicated) 0.8
Results of Mischel, Ebbesen, & Zeiss (1972)
Average duration of
delay of gratification
(minutes)
"Think happy thoughts
"Think sad thoughts"
"Think about the [rewards]"
... with rewards present during
delay
... with rewards absent during
delay
13.5 5.0 4.4
14.4 (condition not replicated) 0.8
Discussion of Mischel, Ebbesen, and Zeiss (1972)
Now who is right?(according to the present findings …)Skinner?Freud?
Other possible explanationsStill stay tuned!
Mischel & Baker (1975):
• Primary versus secondary processes? Is Freud alive and well in our heads?
Procedure
instructions for different groupsPrimary process induction
In the presence of actual objectsIn the presence of pictures of objects
Secondary process inductionIn the presence of actual objectsIn the presence of pictures of objects
Design for Mischel and Baker (1975)
Average duration of delay of gratification
(minutes)
consummatory ideation instructions
about ...
nonconsumatory ideation instructions
about ...
food reward(e.g., marshmallows)
food item irrelevant to delay
(e.g., pretzels)
Freud's perspective:
5.60minutes
13.51minutes
16.82minutes
4.46minutes
primary process thought!
secondary process thought ...
control delay (no instructions) 8.44 minutes
Advantages of a multi-theory approach to understanding self-control…
What the Holistic approach adds…
END ofLearning lectures:Self-control