自我控制与自我控制资源

自我控制是人适应社会的重要功能, 近十年来, 心理学家主要围绕有限自制力理论展开其研究。事实上, 用于自我控制的资源十分有限, 在它严重被消耗时会引发个体的自我衰竭, 这将对个体的情绪、认知及行为等方面都造成不良的影响。个体的情绪调节、思想抑制和分心控制等行为都可能导致其处于自我衰竭的状态, 但通过睡眠、放松或积极情绪诱导等方式则可有效促进自我控制资源的恢复。未来的研究需进一步明确自我衰竭的心理与生理机制, 并深入挖掘自我衰竭与其它影响自控行为的因素之间的内在关联。     

自我损耗的研究方法述评

自我控制是个体成功的重要因素,但个体在自我控制的同时,也要为每次控制付出代价,产生自我损耗,导致随后自我控制的失败。本文回顾了双任务范式中诱发、测量、克服自我损耗的方法,认为未来研究应探索任务的有效性、多采用三任务范式等,在克服自我损耗方面,应同时关注短期克服损耗的方法和提高整体控制能力的方法。     

Does the brain consume additional glucose during self-control tasks?

A currently popular model of self-control posits that the exertion of self-control relies on a resource, which is expended by acts of self-control, resulting in less of this resource being available for subsequent acts of self-control. Recently, glucose has been proposed as the resource in question. For this model to be correct, it must be the case that A) performing a self-control task reduces glucose levels relative to a control task and B) performing a self-control task reduces glucose relative to pre-task levels. Evidence from neurophysiology suggests that (A) is unlikely to be true, and the evidence surrounding (B) is mixed, and is unlikely to be true for subjects who have not recently fasted. From the standpoint of evolved function, glucose might better be thought of as an input to decision making systems rather than as a constraint on performance.     

Can faith move mountains? How implicit theories about willpower moderate the adverse effect of daily emotional dissonance on ego-depletion at work and its spillover to the home-domain

Recent findings have demonstrated that implicit theories about willpower (the belief whether willpower relies on a limited vs. nonlimited resource) moderate the ego-depletion-effect. This study examines this moderating mechanism in occupational settings where employees increasingly have to deal with the unpleasant state of emotional dissonance, which requires the exertion of volitional self-control. By integrating findings on implicit theories about willpower, arguments brought up by the strength model of self-control, and notions from the spillover literature, we propose that believing in a nonlimited resource theory of willpower buffers the effect of emotional dissonance on ego-depletion at work and diminishes the spillover of ego-depletion from the work- to the home-domain. In a diary study covering 10 working days (N = 71), we examine a moderated mediation model in which ego-depletion at work mediates the relation between emotional dissonance and ego-depletion at home and analyse whether implicit theories about willpower moderate both paths (a and b) of the proposed mediation model. Our results provide support for the mediation hypothesis and show that endorsing a nonlimited resource theory buffers the effect of emotional dissonance on ego-depletion at work, thereby disrupting the indirect effect of emotional dissonance on ego-depletion at home. Subsequently, we discuss implications of holding a nonlimited resource theory.     

Conserving self-control strength

Individuals may be motivated to limit their use of self-control resources, especially when they have depleted some of that resource. Expecting to need self-control strength in the future should heighten the motivation to conserve strength. In 4 experiments, it was found that depleted participants who anticipated exerting self-control in the future performed more poorly in an intervening test of self-control than participants who were not depleted, and more poorly than those who did not expect to exert self-control in the future. Conversely, those who conserved strength performed better on tasks that they conserved the strength for as compared with those who did not conserve. The underlying economic or conservation of resource model sheds some light on the operation of self-control strength.     

The idea of money counteracts ego depletion effects

Self-control draws upon a resource that is limited, such that acts of self-control deplete the resource, causing performance on subsequent acts of self-control to suffer. In this research, we demonstrate that activating the concept of money can buffer this ego depletion effect. Across two experiments using varied operationalizations of self-control, participants completed an initial task that depleted self-control resources or not, were then reminded of money or neutral concepts, and finally, completed a second task requiring self-control. In both experiments, among depleted participants, those reminded of money performed better on the second self-control task than those reminded of neutral concepts. Additional analyses in Experiment 2 suggest that this buffering effect was due to money reducing both the subjective difficulty and effort required on the second self-control task.     

休息对自我损耗的补偿作用

两个实验旨在检验自我损耗效应并探讨休息对自我损耗的补偿作用。在实验1中,损耗组被试通过观看注意控制视频诱发自我控制资源的损耗,然后完成Stroop任务。实验2与实验1的不同之处在于,诱发自我损耗后进行不同时间（5分钟、10分钟）的休息处理。两个实验结果发现：（1）注意控制视频成功诱发了自我损耗效应;（2）休息对自我损耗具有补偿作用;（3）在损耗状态下,休息5分钟即对自我控制资源具有补偿作用。研究结果证实了自我损耗的资源枯竭观。     

自我损耗下积极情绪对亲社会行为的影响

基于自我控制资源理论,本研究通过2个递进实验探究自我损耗下积极情绪对亲社会行为的影响。实验1采用“非利手写作”任务操纵被试的自我损耗,并诱发积极情绪,以被试在独裁者任务中分配的代币数为亲社会行为的衡量指标。结果发现：相比于低损耗组,高损耗组亲社会行为水平更低;诱发积极情绪能够补偿自我控制资源。实验2在此基础上,诱发高、低趋近动机积极情绪,考察自我损耗状态下不同强度趋近动机积极情绪对亲社会行为的影响。结果表明,低趋近动机积极情绪能缓解自我损耗后效。本研究证实了提高自我损耗将降低个体亲社会行为水平,诱发低趋近动机积极情绪可以缓解该效应。     

Using the Networked Fire Chief for Ego-Depletion Research: Measuring Dynamic Decision-Making Effort and Performance

This study replicated ego-depletion predictions from the self-control literature in a computer simulation task that requires ongoing decision-making in relation to constantly changing environmental information: the Network Fire Chief (NFC). Ego-depletion led to decreased self-regulatory effort, but not performance, on the NFC task. These effects were also buffered by task enjoyment so that individuals who enjoyed the dynamic decision-making task did not experience ego-depletion effects. These findings confirm that past ego-depletion effects on decision-making are not limited to static or isolated decision-making tasks and can be extended to dynamic, naturalistic decision-making processes more common to naturalistic settings. Furthermore, the NFC simulation provides a methodological mechanism for independently measuring effort and performance when studying ego-depletion.     

The effect of public social context on self-control: depletion for neuroticism and restoration for impression management

The present study explores the role of personality in moderating the effect of public social context on self-control. The authors predicted that in public settings neuroticism would be associated with ego-depletion effects and individual differences in impression management (IM) would be associated with restoration effects. Three experiments supported the hypothesis. In Study 1 neuroticism was associated with impaired self-control and IM was associated with enhanced self-control following an initial phase of working on a simple task in public (vs. in private). Study 2 replicated and extended these results to other domains of self-control. Study 3 explored whether public social context can cancel out early depletion effects. In this study, depleted participants engaged in a task that required self-control either alone or in public. As expected, the public settings were associated with restored self-control resources mostly among high IM individuals. Implications for self-control, neuroticism, and IM are discussed.     

Can implementation intentions help to overcome ego-depletion?

Research on ego-depletion suggests that the ability to self-regulate one’s behavior is limited: Exerting self-control on an initial task reduces performance on a subsequent task that also requires self-control. Two experiments tested whether forming implementation intentions could prevent ego-depletion and/or offset the effects of ego-depletion. Experiment 1 found that participants who formed implementation intentions during an initial ego-depleting task subsequently showed greater persistence on an unsolvable puzzles task compared to participants who did not form implementation intentions. Experiment 2 found that among participants who had been ego-depleted during an initial task, forming implementation intentions improved subsequent performance on a Stroop task to the level exhibited by non-depleted controls. Thus, implementation intentions help to enhance people’s ability to self-regulate their behavior.     

Mechanisms of self-control failure: motivation and limited resources

Research has found that individuals who are lower in self-control strength because of previous self-control exertions perform more poorly on subsequent tests of self-control. The present studies suggest that this effect may be moderated by motivation. In particular, depletion and motivation jointly determine self-control performance. Individuals who were depleted and believed that the task would help others (Experiment 1) or believed that their efforts could benefit them (Experiment 2) performed better on a subsequent test of self-control than individuals who were depleted and lower in motivation. The results of Experiment 3 replicated these findings and suggested that depletion only affects performance on tasks that require self-control; tasks that are difficult but do not require self-control are immune to the effects of depletion. Hence, depleted individuals may compensate for their lack of self-control resources when sufficiently motivated. The results may help explain the nature of self-control strength.     

童年期不良经历对中学生良心的影响：特质自我控制和自我损耗的链式中介作用

为探讨童年期不良经历对中学生良心的影响及作用机制,基于生物生态学理论和自我控制资源模型,采用整群取样法抽取湖南省7所城市7所中学初一到高三学生共3648名,使用童年期不良经历问卷、青少年良心问卷、特质自我控制量表和自我调节疲劳量表进行问卷调查。结果发现:(1)童年期不良经历负向预测中学生良心;(2)特质自我控制和自我损耗在童年期不良经历和中学生良心间起部分中介作用;(3)特质自我控制和自我损耗在童年期不良经历和中学生良心间起链式中介作用。研究结果表明,童年期不良经历不仅是影响中学生良心的重要外部因素,而且还会通过影响特质自我控制和经由自我损耗对中学生良心产生间接作用;减少和避免童年期不良经历对中学生心理的冲击,提升其特质自我控制水平,降低其自我损耗,是预防中学生良心失守和提升良心水平的重要途径。     

Ego depletion increases risk-taking

We investigated how the availability of self-control resources affects risk-taking inclinations and behaviors. We proposed that risk-taking often occurs from suboptimal decision processes and heuristic information processing (e.g., when a smoker suppresses or neglects information about the health risks of smoking). Research revealed that depleted self-regulation resources are associated with reduced intellectual performance and reduced abilities to regulate spontaneous and automatic responses (e.g., control aggressive responses in the face of frustration). The present studies transferred these ideas to the area of risk-taking. We propose that risk-taking is increased when individuals find themselves in a state of reduced cognitive self-control resources (ego-depletion). Four studies supported these ideas. In Study 1, ego-depleted participants reported higher levels of sensation seeking than non-depleted participants. In Study 2, ego-depleted participants showed higher levels of risk-tolerance in critical road traffic situations than non-depleted participants. In Study 3, we ruled out two alternative explanations for these results: neither cognitive load nor feelings of anger mediated the effect of ego-depletion on risk-taking. Finally, Study 4 clarified the underlying psychological process: ego-depleted participants feel more cognitively exhausted than non-depleted participants and thus are more willing to take risks. Discussion focuses on the theoretical and practical implications of these findings.     

自我控制的能量模型:证据、质疑和展望

自我控制的能量模型是解释自我控制的一个重要理论模型。该模型认为,所有的自我控制行为依赖一种共同且有限的能量,执行自我控制会消耗这种能量,导致自我损耗效应的产生,但能量也可以通过一些方法得以恢复和提升。该模型得到大量行为和生理层面研究的支持,但也有研究者从疲劳、情绪、动机、血糖指标、时间知觉等方面提出质疑。未来研究可从自我能量的性质、总量等角度进一步完善能量模型,同时结合我国文化探讨理想、信念、价值观对提升我国国民意志力的作用。     

自我损耗对工作记忆的影响及其克服

实验1考察了自我损耗对工作记忆的影响。40名6年级小学生被随机分配到实验组和控制组,分别完成损耗任务和非损耗任务。结果发现,与控制组相比,实验组被试的工作记忆容量明显降低。实验2考察积极情绪能否克服自我损耗对工作记忆的负面影响。40名6年级小学生参加了实验。在完成损耗任务后,采用自传式回忆的方法诱发实验组的积极情绪。结果发现,诱发被试的积极情绪体验,能够克服自我损耗对于工作记忆的消极影响。     

No ego-depletion effect without a good control task

The ego-depletion effect refers to a temporary failure of self-control exertion after first performing an effortful task. This phenomenon has experienced a replication crisis in the past few years. In the present series of experiments, we tried to replicate the ego-depletion effect using a 30-min modified Stroop task tapping two executive functions (inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility) as the depleting task. In the first study, we compared the performance of a handgrip endurance task after this depleting task or after a classic control task (i.e., reading color words) and failed to replicate the ego-depletion effect. We showed that the control task induced boredom and subjective fatigue. In a second study, we looked for a better control task and compared the color-word reading task to another possible control task used in the literature (i.e., watching a documentary). Controlling for boredom, subjective fatigue, motivation and affective state, we found that the video task was not boring and did not induce fatigue, drop in motivation or negative affective state, whereas the color-word reading task did. In a third study, we used the video task as the control task and the modified effortful Stroop task used in the first study as the depleting task and succeeded in replicating the ego-depletion effect. This series of experiments illustrates that the choice of an appropriate control task is crucial to observe an ego-depletion effect and that boredom is costly. Consequently, it appears necessary to control for boredom in any future replication study aiming to observe an ego-depletion effect.     

感恩对自我控制的影响

过去的研究表明感恩能减弱时间贴现,但是并不清楚这种现象是受对未来结果的考虑影响还是受与自我控制关系更密切的对即时结果的考虑影响。本文通过两个研究从特质和状态两个层面考察了感恩与自我控制之间的关系。研究一发现,感恩特质与自我控制特质存在显著的正相关,并且这种相关在控制了一般积极情感特质之后仍然显著。研究二发现,状态性感恩情绪启动补偿了自我损耗,并提升了状态性自我控制。本文对该发现进行了讨论并对未来的研究方向进行了展望。     

Self-control and mechanisms of behavior: Why self-control is not a natural mental kind

In this paper, I argue for two main hypotheses. First, that (philosophical) self-control is not a natural mental kind and, second, that there is no dedicated mechanism of self-control (indeed, the latter claim forms part of my argument for the former). By the first claim, I simply mean that those behaviors we label as “self-controlled” are a somewhat arbitrarily selected hodgepodge that do not have anything in common that distinguishes them from other behaviors. In other words, self-control is a gerrymandered property that does not correspond to a natural mental or psychological kind. By the second claim, I mean that self-controlled behaviors are not produced by a mechanism (or a set of them) that is not utilized in the production of other (non-self-controlled) behaviors. Not only is there no natural mental property of self-control, there is no mechanism (such as willpower) that is dedicated to producing self-controlled behavior. I further evaluate whether this account of self-control has enough explanatory power to account for a range of phenomena related to self-control (systematic self-control failures, etc.). I argue that my account does a better job of explaining these phenomena than accounts which appeal to a dedicated self-control mechanism.     

Choice and ego-depletion: the moderating role of autonomy

The self-regulatory strength model maintains that all acts of self-regulation, self-control, and choice result in a state of fatigue called ego-depletion. Self-determination theory differentiates between autonomous regulation and controlled regulation. Because making decisions represents one instance of self-regulation, the authors also differentiate between autonomous choice and controlled choice. Three experiments support the hypothesis that whereas conditions representing controlled choice would be egodepleting, conditions that represented autonomous choice would not. In Experiment 3, the authors found significant mediation by perceived self-determination of the relation between the choice condition (autonomous vs. controlled) and ego-depletion as measured by performance.