Prior self-control exertion and perceptions of pain during a physically demanding task

ObjectivesExertion of self-control has been associated with impaired performance on subsequent physical tasks also requiring self-control, but it remains unknown why this occurs. This study, therefore, explored whether a) prior self-control exertion reduces subsequent persistence on a physically demanding task, and b) whether any observed performance decrements could be explained by changes in perceptions of pain.MethodIn a within-subject design, sixty-three individuals completed an easy (congruent) Stroop task or a difficult (incongruent) Stroop task that required self-control. Participants were then required to remain in a physically demanding posture (i.e., a ‘wall-sit’) until voluntary exhaustion and their perception of pain was recorded during the task.ResultsWhen participants completed the difficult Stroop task, they quit the wall-sit sooner. This decrement in performance was explained by greater perceptions of pain at the beginning of the wall-sit.ConclusionsPerceptions of pain may, therefore, be an important attentional mechanism explaining why self-control use interferes with subsequent persistence during physically effortful tasks.     

目标设置对非伦理行为的影响:边界条件与理论基础

作为一种有效的激励方式,目标设置被广泛地运用于各类组织中。然而,近年来一系列的研究发现,目标设置也会引发员工的非伦理行为。全面梳理了国外对于目标设置影响非伦理行为的相关研究,系统地介绍了两者的直接关系、边界条件及理论基础,在总结这些研究的基础上,提出未来研究应从拓展研究方法(基于真实组织情景下的调查)和研究内容(强化调节、中介及社会性视角下的研究)两方面展开。     

The “Sprinter effect”: When self-control and involvement stand in the way of sequential performance

This research examines the joint effect of dispositional self-control and situational involvement on performance in two successive resource-demanding tasks. We demonstrate that being highly involved and having high self-control facilitates high performance in the first task but, contrary to intuition, may jeopardize performance in a second, unexpected task. We term this the “sprinter effect” and demonstrate it in both lab and field settings. We further explore how a “marathon” mindset can debias this effect.     

工作压力对建设型和防御型建言的差异影响

以往研究普遍从建言行为的建设性意图特征出发, 探讨其关键前因、产生机制和情境因素, 但却较少关注建言行为的工具性目的。基于资源保存理论, 本研究构建了有调节的中介模型以探讨工作压力影响员工建设型建言和防御型建言的作用机制和边界条件。通过对某建筑企业386名员工进行两阶段调查, 结果表明：工作压力与防御型建言存在正向相关关系, 与建设型建言存在负向相关关系, 自我损耗在其中起中介作用; 另外, 领导开明性正向调节自我损耗和建设型建言的负向相关关系, 并正向调节工作压力通过自我损耗影响建设型建言的间接效应。     

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。     

A diary study on the role of psychological detachment in the spillover of self-control demands to employees’ ego depletion and the crossover to their partner

This study examined whether daily self-control demands at work deplete one’s self-control resources (i.e., ego depletion) at work and whether these demands have prolonged effects by spilling over to the home domain via a lack of psychological detachment. Moreover, we investigated the daily crossover of ego depletion at home between partners and its influence on spousal interactions. Results of our dyadic diary study revealed that daily self-control demands at work are positively related to ego depletion experienced at work and at home, and negatively related to psychological detachment. Psychological detachment is directly negatively related to ego depletion experienced at home and mediates the positive relationship between self-control demands at work and ego depletion at home. With regard to crossover mechanisms, we found support for a direct positive crossover of ego depletion of the actor to the ego depletion of the actor’s partner. In addition, the ego depletion of the actor’s partner related directly negatively to providing spousal support and positively to spousal conflict and moreover mediated the relation between ego depletion of the actor and both spousal interactions. Implications for practice and suggestions for future research are discussed.     

Attention lapses and behavioural microsleeps during tracking,psychomotor vigilance,and dual tasks

This study examined the incidence of attention lapses and microsleeps under contrasting levels of task complexity during three tasks: PVT, 2-D tracking and a dual task combining the two. More attention lapses per participant (median 15 vs. 3; range 1–74 vs. 0–76, p = 0.001), with the greatest increase with time spent-on-task (p = 0.002), were evident on the more cognitively-demanding dual task than on the PVT. Conversely, fewer microsleeps (median 0 vs. 0; range 0–1 vs. 0–18, p = 0.022) occurred during the more complex task compared to the tracking task. An increase in microsleep rate with time spent-on-task (p = 0.035) was evident during the tracking task but not the dual task. These results indicate that the higher cognitive load, associated with an increase in task complexity, increased the likelihood of attention lapses, while a reduction in task complexity increased the likelihood of microsleeps.     

I want to keep on exercising but I don’t: The negative impact of momentary lacks of self-control on exercise adherence

ObjectivesWe investigated the impact of state and trait self-control strength on exercise execution. We hypothesized that state self-control strength is reduced on days that are perceived as stressful and that reductions in self-control strength result in a lower likelihood to work out. Additionally, trait self-control strength may affect the execution of workout plans.DesignUniversity students, who stated that they have not been exercising regularly for at least one month, filled in a trait self-control inventory, a personality questionnaire, and were instructed to perform a daily workout over a one-week period. Perceived stress levels, state self-control strength, and workout completion were assessed on a daily basis.ResultsResults revealed that people were less likely to exercise on days they perceived as stressful. State self-control mediated the relation between stress and exercise completion. Trait self-control and other personality variables did not affect workout completion.ConclusionsResults indicate that daily stress is associated with self-control depletion and a lower likelihood to work out.     

Does the experience of presence restore self-control?

A wide range of research suggests that the exertion of self-control is a limited resource or constrained by a motivational shift. Less attention, however, has been given to the question how self-control capacity can be restored. This study examined whether this restoration can be achieved by “presence,” the perceptual illusion of non-mediation. We suggest that the adoption of the mediated reference systems creates a “holiday from self” and restores self-control capacity. Depleted participants who saw an immersive video clip performed better in a subsequent self-control task than participants who saw a non-immersive video clip or were in a waiting group. But the concrete mechanism remains open: Self reported presence did not serve as a mediator.     

Antecedent manipulations in a tangible condition: effects of stimulus preference on aggression.

After a functional analysis indicated that aggression of an 8‐year‐old boy with autism was maintained by access to preferred items, antecedent manipulations involving the relative preference of restricted and noncontingently available stimuli were conducted. Restricting highly preferred items evoked the highest rates of aggression regardless of the preference level of the noncontingently available alternative items. Restricting less preferred stimuli was associated with moderate rates of aggression even when the alternative items were more preferred.