Science 30 August 2013:
Vol. 341 no. 6149 pp. 969-970
DOI: 10.1126/science.1244172
PERSPECTIVE
PSYCHOLOGY
The Poor's Poor Mental Power
Kathleen D. VohsTemplate:
Self-control may be the greatest human strength (6) because it is involved in the ability to make wise choices. Several studies have found that after using self-control (and thus reducing the resource), decision-making patterns shift toward favoring intuitive over reasoned options (10). For example, options were constructed so that they were extreme on some dimensions (e.g., expensive and high quality) or balanced (moderate price and modest quality). Choosing the latter reflects the use of deliberate cognitive strategies to accept trade-offs. Those who earlier had engaged in self-control activities preferred extreme options that required fewer trade-offs. Moreover, the process of making trade-offs itself requires self-control (11). These findings suggest that decisions requiring many trade-offs, which are common in poverty, render subsequent decisions prone to favoring impulsive, intuitive, and often regrettable options.

