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Willpower through cultural tools: An example from alcoholics anonymous

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 April 2021

Pamela Acquaro  and
Richard Sosis Open the ORCID record for Richard Sosis [Opens in a new window]
Pamela Acquaro
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT06269-1176. pamela.acquaro@uconn.edu; richard.sosis@uconn.eduhttps://richard-sosis.uconn.edu/
Richard Sosis
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT06269-1176. pamela.acquaro@uconn.edu; richard.sosis@uconn.eduhttps://richard-sosis.uconn.edu/
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Abstract

We argue that a closer look at the practices and tools that humans use to support willpower, and the cultural contexts in which they are employed, can broaden the applicability of Ainslie's theory and facilitate the development of more effective self-control techniques. To support our argument, we examine Alcoholics Anonymous's method of temptation resistance known as “playing the tape through” (PTT).

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 44 , 2021 , e31
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Creative Commons
The target article and response article are works of the U.S. Government and are not subject to copyright protection in the United States.
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

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