"There is a long research literature on the importance of self-control, or the ability to defer gratification — a close corollary of our conceptualization of the character strength of prudence," Reeves and his two colleagues write.
But if the importance of self-control to success in the labor market was a novel idea for economists, it would not have surprised the classical sociological theorist Max Weber.
Mischel's story isn't surprising — nicotine is addictive, and quitting is difficult — except for one thing: Mischel is the creator of the marshmallow test, one of the most famous experiments in the history of psychology, which is often cited as evidence of the importance of self-control.
Still, he said, "as a realist, it seems to me that the truth is that whatever your thoughts are on the importance of self-control and willpower and profligacy, and that we shouldn't be such pigs, that we should exercise more, the truth is that we are what we are".
Mischel's story isn't surprising nicotine is addictive, and quitting is difficult except for one thing: Mischel is the creator of the marshmallow test, one of the most famous experiments in the history of psychology, which is often cited as evidence of the importance of self-control.
This assumption about the importance of self-control has profoundly shaped how we think about behavior, including that of our children.
Serotonin is a molecule of self-control.
