Warning: You are about to read about a very cool science experiment.
Do you have a hard time passing up sweets? Well, your prefrontal cortex may be the culprit.
Professor Baba Shiv from Stanford University designed a "sweet" science experiment where he had his subjects memorize a 7-digit number or a 1-digit number. Then they walked down the hall to another room, where they would tell another person their number. Along the way, a member of the research team stopped them in the hall and offered them a snack as a way of saying thanks. They could choose either a big slice of chocolate cake or a bowl of fruit salad. The majority of the people who were assigned the 7-digit numbers picked the cake over the fruit salad.
Shiv speculates that the effort required to memorize seven numbers limited cognitive resources, decreasing our ability to control our urges. This lines up with the brain's anatomy since working memory and self-control are both located in our prefrontal cortex. A high cognitive load was enough to overload the rational part of the brain and make the person go with the cake. When our mind is stressed or overloaded, it causes us to be more reliant on our impulsive emotions.
So, if you are stressed out, busy with life, or just have a lot on your plate, take a second to think before you choose what to eat.
And if you really want the chocolate cake, here is a recipe for the best chocolate cake I have ever had. I don't do the whole orange thing - the cake itself is decadent enough. Make sure you serve it with a homemade raspberry sauce. It's delicious.
7 comments:
Sheesh -- I could have told them that for free. I mean, duh! And now that it's Cadbury mini eggs time, I am a wealth of knowledge!
Melody
I must have 7 numbers in my head all the time.
ok, it was worth reading all that 'science stuff' just to get a heidi tried and true recipe! thats like the free gift with purchase. i miss you!
i love cake.
and I love having a science geek friend.
p.s. this is john, not ashley. I am just too lazy to switch the account. It's late and I am trying to avoid eating something like cake and that extra step might be the number that puts me over the edge. just typing this is making me want an oreo. double stuff. pierced with a fork and soaked in milk. mmmm.
Melody - I'm with you. I love Cadbury mini egg season. It's the only time I actually crave any type of chocolate you can buy at the grocery store.
Trav, your next post should be about meditation and relaxation. You need a vacation!
Beth, I miss you, too. Once the chemo is over, feel free to turn you cancer blog into a recipe blog. You always make the best things.
John, I'm glad you appreciate my inner science geek. I hope you enjoy that oreo. I never really think about them until I get to the Connors treat cupboard. mmmm.
I'm worried that I'll use this information more as justification than developing an increased awareness that prevents me from eating my feelings. Oh my feelings taste so much better than logic! Besides, you gave me a tool towards my own destruction...I'll try that recipe sometime soon!
That explains why I am so good with numbers! Thanks for the recipe, but no thanks for the "serves 30..." I am just pregnant enough that I might eat chocolate cake for 30! We miss you guys and can't wait until you come visit us!
p.s. I want to steal your birdie mobile that you made for Miles... so cute! Let me know if you are willing to share your secret!
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