People love setting up New Year goals, but it's not always easy to achieve them.
Research suggests that people who give up on New Year's resolutions or other commitments can maintain the respect of others by blaming external factors like lack of money.
Let's find out more about how it works.
It's curious to know
Studies found that when individuals claimed they couldn't afford a gym membership or expensive cooking equipment, they were seen as having good self-control despite abandoning their commitment to a healthier lifestyle.
On the other hand, those who cited lack of time for exercise or cooking healthy meals were perceived as having poor self-control.
Dr. Janina Steinmetz, who conducted the research, discovered that claiming a lack of money was a more effective excuse for maintaining a positive perception than citing a lack of time.
Why it's important
These results indicate that excuses seen as less controllable by individuals yield better outcomes in terms of how others perceive their self-control.
The findings have implications for public health campaigns, as organizations can challenge the notion that people are too busy by promoting affordable and easy-to-prepare healthy meals or the benefits of short bursts of aerobic activity.
Additionally, the research suggests that blaming uncontrollable factors may be advantageous when discussing past failures in job interviews or on dating websites, as it helps convey a positive image.
However, blaming lack of time in these contexts might not be as effective.
Recently, we talked about shaking presents.
