Policy-makers are considering large-scale programs aimed at self-control to improve citizens’ health and wealth and reduce crime. Experimental and economic studies suggest such programs could reap benefits. Yet, is self-control important for the health, wealth, and public safety of the population? Following a cohort of 1,000 children from birth to the age of 32 y, we show that childhood self-control predicts physical health, substance dependence, personal finances, and criminal offending outcomes, following a gradient of self-control. Effects of children's self-control could be disentangled from their intelligence and social class as well as from mistakes they made as adolescents. In another cohort of 500 sibling-pairs, the sibling with lower self-control had poorer outcomes, despite shared family background. Interventions addressing self-control might reduce a panoply of societal costs, save taxpayers money, and promote prosperity.I was having a conversation this weekend about the elements we know to materially affect life outcomes in a positive fashion. IQ and self-control were two elements which have the strongest forecasting capability.
IQ, Behaviors (self-control, motivation, futurity, conscientiousness, etc.), Habits (rapidity of acquisition and modification of heuristic rules), Skills (specific demonstrated capabilities), and Values (goals and self-imposed constraints) were kind of the Big Five identified and the Big Five together contingent upon Context. Anyone born today, almost regardless of ability is going to have a measurably better life outcome than virtually anyone born 2-300 years ago. Context is an independent variable.
While IQ and Behaviors are materially (but not completely) heritable, Habits, Skills and Values are all substantially self-chosen.
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