Why do some activities tire your brain more than others? How exhausting is poverty? And could most of the world’s problems be solved with a sandwich?
Vladimir Putin.
Have a sandwich.
I'm Angela Duckworth.
I'm Steven Dubner, and you're listening to.
No stupid questions today on the show.
Can you train your brain to focus for a longer period of time?
I used every single ounce of my physical and mental energy, and I have nothing left.
Angela, you and I have both read a new working paper by four economists, Christina Brown, Supreet Kauer, Geeta Kingdon, and Heather Scofield, about what's called cognitive endurance, which was a phrase that captured my attention.
A good phrase.
Yeah, it's a very good phrase.
Is there a generally accepted definition of that in the academic or psychological realm?
They define it as, quote, the ability to sustain effortful mental activity over a continuous stretch of time.
Primary arguments, one that students from low income backgrounds exhibit what is called cognitive fatigue more quickly than high income students.
But .2, cognitive endurance is essentially, as I understand it, at least a muscle that anyone can build up.
So because cognitive endurance sounds to me at least a lot like grit, I wanted to hear what you have to say about this research, what it means for anyone who would like to increase their own cognitive endurance, whether in an educational setting or otherwise.
So maybe we could just start with your describing what the study actually showed, and we can take it from there.
Gosh, you had me at hello.
Like this title, right?
Cognitive endurance as human capital is like porn for me.
I can't resist.