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Scientific Secrets for Self-Control

Put your will power in the driver's seat and swerve around temptation with a science-based guide to mastering the art of self-control.
 
 
Rated 1 out of 5 by from Kind of shallow It seems to only scratch the surface of subjects, and much of it feels presumptuous - or maybe that's because it's aimed at neurotypical individuals / people who have not been through massive trauma
Date published: 2025-05-04
Rated 2 out of 5 by from An enticing topic but In my view this is a very enticing topic which could have been significantly better. The presenter offered lots of studies but limited ways to improve on this subject. Additionally, he is a below average presenter in my view.
Date published: 2025-03-14
Rated 2 out of 5 by from The science is behavioral and not biologically bas Lecturer is well informed however delivery is painfully slow and not engaging
Date published: 2024-04-17
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great Course Doctor DeWall's presentation really helped me to prioritize and achieve some of my personal goals that I have been struggling with for many years. Thank you!
Date published: 2024-03-29
Rated 1 out of 5 by from For information purposes only This is not a course since it doesn't teach how to achieve self control, it is a compilation of information and experiments about self control.
Date published: 2024-01-25
Rated 4 out of 5 by from Good Information The instructor provided good overviews and practical exercises. Very well presentef
Date published: 2022-12-31
Rated 1 out of 5 by from My first disappointment with The Great Courses! After enjoying & benefiting from more than 50 Great Courses I was eventually bound to make a poor choice. The "Scientific Secrets for Self-Control" did not provide any new scientific neurological information to me & was very poor in giving me any real practical exercises or techniques for self-control.
Date published: 2022-10-30
Rated 4 out of 5 by from Good Stuff I have two lectures left to complete but the others have been informative and applicable.
Date published: 2022-03-07
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Scientific Secrets for Self-Control

Trailer

Why Is It So Hard to Do What We Should?

01: Why Is It So Hard to Do What We Should?

Critical to understanding self-control: understanding why we often fail at it. First, Professor DeWall explains one of the most influential models about how self-control works, and the two classic experiments that tested this model. Then, learn why depleted energy causes us to show poor self-control and how our individual characteristics shape this energy....

32 min
Self-Control Successes and Failures

02: Self-Control Successes and Failures

What are the secrets behind mastering self-control in your life? Why are specific individuals, from politicians to civil rights leaders, widely considered heroes of self-control? Why does it help to think of self-control as working like an internal thermostat? You'll find answers to these provocative questions and more here....

31 min
Marshmallows, Monkeys, and Mortality

03: Marshmallows, Monkeys, and Mortality

In this lecture, go inside the famous "marshmallow experiment" at Stanford University and its revelations about delayed gratification; learn how delaying gratification is important even for primates and dogs; and probe general differences in self-control and its effects on everything from mental health to wealth accumulation to an early death....

28 min
Taming the Impulsive Beast

04: Taming the Impulsive Beast

Many critics and pundits argue that we live in the most peaceful time in history. So why is aggression still so prevalent around the world? Encounter several core components of self-control, two of which explain why most people commonly refrain from aggressive behavior and one of which explains why aggression still exists....

31 min
First Impressions and Stereotypes

05: First Impressions and Stereotypes

Why do we tend to mimic one another during our social interactions? Why do we feel that we "gel" with certain people and seek out stronger relationships with those individuals? Why do interactions with different people deplete us of our self-control energy? Join Professor DeWall for an illuminating investigation of these and other questions....

29 min
Romance, Finance, and Your Environment

06: Romance, Finance, and Your Environment

Learn how to apply your newfound knowledge of self-control to your romantic relationships, your financial decisions, and your surroundings. As you cover topics including recent studies on happiness and self-control in relationships and the importance of playing offense against your environment, you'll gain invaluable skills that will promote stronger self-awareness....

31 min

Overview Course No. 1637

Join an expert in self-control research for six engaging and inspirational lessons that shatter the myths about willpower and replace them with verifiable science that can make the seemingly unattainable finally possible. Packed with eye-opening studies, experiments, and exercises to strengthen your self-control when dealing with money, fitness, personal relationships, and more, this course will have you wondering why you ever doubted yourself. Whether you're looking for new ways to resist temptation, make a strong first impression, or better control your emotions, this is your guide to understanding—and mastering—what is a frequently misunderstood subject. In clear language, your award-winning professor introduces you to the general theories behind self-control: what it is, how it works, and how you can take steps to improve it. Among the topics you'll investigate:

  • How researchers discovered that delayed gratification can lead to better individual well-being in everything from higher self-worth to less sensitivity to rejection
  • One of the most influential theories about how self-control works - the limited resource model, which argues that self-control relies on limited energy that becomes depleted after use
  • How scientists discovered the link between the prefrontal cortex and aggression, and how people at risk for violent anger show abnormalities in that region of the brain.

Alongside groundbreaking scientific findings and research, you'll get personal exercises, activities, and thought experiments you can use to practice strengthening your self-control skills to meet whatever specific goals you want to achieve.

About

C. Nathan DeWall

When you understand what self-control is and how it works, you are going to unlock the gates to success.

INSTITUTION

University of Kentucky

Dr. C. Nathan DeWall is Professor of Psychology at the University of Kentucky. He earned an M.A. in Social Sciences from the University of Chicago, and an M.S. and a Ph.D. in Social Psychology from Florida State University. Winner of the Outstanding Teacher Award from the University of Kentucky's College of Arts and Science, Professor DeWall was named a ìrising starî in psychological research by the Association for Psychological Science. He also won a SAGE Young Scholars Award from the Foundation for Personality and Social Psychology and the Outstanding Early Career Award from the International Society for Self and Identity. Professor DeWall is a sought-after speaker who has lectured throughout the United States as well as in China, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, and Australia. His research into self-control has been supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, and the John Templeton Foundation. Professor DeWall has been featured in the national media, including The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, Harvard Business Review, Time, Atlantic Monthly, and National Public Radio. He is coauthor, with David G. Myers, of the Psychology textbook series, which reaches several million students.

By This Professor

Scientific Secrets for Self-Control
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