老调重弹 自控的情境选择策略

Situation-selection strategies are the most forward-look-

ing of all self-control maneuvers and involve intention-

ally choosing to be in situations that favor goal-oriented

valuation systems over temptation-oriented valuation sys-

tems. For instance, studying is generally easier to do at

the library than in a noisy dorm room. Exercising is easier

at the gym than in the living room. Abstaining from junk

food is easier at home than at the movie theater. Likewise,

virtuous behavior is easier when we surround ourselves

with people whose behavior we hope to emulate. In a

recent mixed-age focus group on academic success, we

listened to a tenth grader sagely counsel a fifth grader: “If

I knew at your age what I know now,” the older girl said,

shaking her head, “I would have chosen different friends.

I got into the wrong crowd, and it was really hard to get

back on track.” In other words, our circumstances are not

just physical but also social, and their influence on our

behavior not just transient but potentially enduring.