[tryitnow]

What about comparative effectiveness? For example, if we did an experiment where we started subjects on the following regimes, which would have the greatest effects on impulse control: 1) Learning to program (assuming the subject is not already a coder 2) meditation 3) aerobic exercise

Then we would have to figure out ways to measure "impulse control."

Such a study would have a lot more credibility than the author's contention that "I control impulses while meditating; therefore, meditation makes me more productive."

One controls impulses during a wide variety of activities; the burden is on the pro-meditation crowd to provide evidence that meditation is an especially valuable form of practicing impulse control.

[pyre]

I'm curious why you seem to be indirectly asserting that learning to program and/or aerobic exercise will have some effect on impulse control.