Showing papers on "Ego depletion published in 2008"
TL;DR: In this article, the authors describe a model of energy and vitality based on self-determination theory and conclude that social psychological factors associated with need satisfaction have important implications for health and vitality and for informing interventions.
Abstract: Vitality, or the energy available to the self, is a salient and functionally significant indicator of health and motivation. Previous models (e.g., Baumeister & Vohs, 2007) have suggested how such energy can be depleted but have focused less on how it can be maintained or enhanced. In this article, we describe a model of energy and vitality based on self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000). We review substantial evidence that, whereas the self-controlling regulation of behavior depletes vitality and energy, the autonomous self-regulation of behavior does not. A growing number of experimental and field studies also suggest that vitality and energy are enhanced by activities that satisfy basic psychological needs for relatedness, competence, and autonomy. Lifestyles focused on extrinsic goals are less conducive to need satisfaction and thus engender less vitality. We conclude that social psychological factors associated with need satisfaction have important implications for health and vitality and for informing interventions.
536 citations
TL;DR: The capacity for self-control and intelligent decision making involves a common, limited resource that uses the body's basic energy supply as discussed by the authors, and when this resource is depleted, selfcontrol fails and decision making is impaired.
304 citations
TL;DR: Mediational analyses suggested that individuals with depleted self-regulation resources experienced increased levels of commitment to their own standpoint, which resulted in increased confirmatory information processing.
Abstract: In the present research, the authors investigated the impact of self-regulation resources on confirmatory information processing, that is, the tendency of individuals to systematically prefer standpoint-consistent information to standpoint-inconsistent information in information evaluation and search. In 4 studies with political and economic decision-making scenarios, it was consistently found that individuals with depleted self-regulation resources exhibited a stronger tendency for confirmatory information processing than did individuals with nondepleted self-regulation resources. Alternative explanations based on processes of ego threat, cognitive load, and mood were ruled out. Mediational analyses suggested that individuals with depleted self-regulation resources experienced increased levels of commitment to their own standpoint, which resulted in increased confirmatory information processing. In sum, the impact of ego depletion on confirmatory information search seems to be more motivational than cognitive in nature.
144 citations
TL;DR: Findings suggest that self-control plays a vital role in the process of resistance to persuasion, as people must have self- control resources to fend off persuasive appeals; without them, they become susceptible to influence.
Abstract: Four studies investigated a self-control theory of resistance to persuasion. This theory asserts that resistance to persuasion requires and consumes self-control resources. Study 1 showed that resistance to a persuasive message reduced the ability to engage in a subsequent self-control task. Studies 2 and 3 showed that self-control depletion leads to increased persuasion. Study 4 showed that self-control depletion increased persuasion, particularly under effortful resistance (i.e., strong arguments). Together, these findings suggest that self-control plays a vital role in the process of resistance to persuasion. People must have self-control resources to fend off persuasive appeals; without them, they become susceptible to influence.
101 citations
TL;DR: The notion of free will in consumer psychology may discourage researchers from investigating the specific mechanisms underlying consumer choice and behavior as mentioned in this paper, which may also discourage them from investigating how consumers transform into behavior, when they conflict with each other and how such conflicts are resolved.
63 citations
TL;DR: The authors employed a three-cell (ego threat, ego enhancement, and control) experimental design to test the validity of the ego-enhancement argument in explaining the third-person perception and related outcomes (e.g., support for government control).
Abstract: Ego enhancement has been offered as the psychological mechanism that drives differences in judgments about effects on self and others. This study employs a three-cell (ego threat, ego enhancement, and control) experimental design to test the validity of the ego-enhancement argument in explaining the third-person perception and related outcomes (e.g., support for government control). Findings indicate that although ego enhancement does not appear to directly influence either third-person perception or its relationship to support for government control, it does play a moderating role in regulating the relationship between perceived effects and support for controls, especially in the case of perceived effects on others. Specifically, the ego-enhancement condition effectively muted the relationship between estimates of effects and support for government control. Implications of these findings and directions for further research are also discussed.
42 citations
TL;DR: The authors found that participants who do not normally try to control their use of stereotypes were equally prejudiced, regardless of their level of ego strength, and the results have implications for prejudice and stereotyping, as well as models of self-control.
Abstract: Research has suggested that whereas stereotypical attitudes may be automatically activated, the response to these stereotypes can be controlled. Anything that interferes with self-control may result in more biased behavior. The ego strength model hypothesizes that after exerting self-control, subsequent self-control performance will suffer. Hence, depletion of ego strength may lead to increased prejudice. In 2 studies, depletion was found only to affect individuals who normally try to control their prejudicial responses. Participants who do not normally try to control their use of stereotypes were equally prejudiced, regardless of their level of ego strength. The results have implications for prejudice and stereotyping, as well as models of self-control.
34 citations
TL;DR: The authors argue that consumers' belief in free will arises from their phenomenological experience of exercising self-control in the face of moral or intertemporal conflicts of will, and conclude that this belief arises from consumers' phenomenological experiences of being able to control their will.
25 citations
TL;DR: Baumeister, Sparks, Stillman, and Vohs as mentioned in this paper identified some consumer behaviors that appear higher in free will than brand choices per se, including self-control, ego depletion, and choice.
23 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the effects of initial self-control attempts and also attention on performance, and found that performance decrements can be overcome by attentional strategies, when participants distracted themselves by performing a calculation task during the second self control measurement, they did not show a decline in performance.
Abstract: The present research tested predictions of the strength model of self-control and delay of gratification by examining the effects of initial self-control attempts and also attention on performance. Participants completed a series of two identical physical self-control tasks, namely holding up a weight, under varying conditions. The results showed that performance decrements can be overcome by attentional strategies. When participants distracted themselves by performing a calculation task during the second self-control measurement, they did not show a decline in performance. In contrast, participants who did not distract themselves and those who instead focused on their muscles while holding up the weight, performed significantly worse on the second measurement. Interestingly, the distraction task reduced regulatory performance when it was performed before the second measurement.
22 citations
TL;DR: Three boundary concerns relevant to both psychology and religion are discussed: the meaning of virtue, differences in defining the self in self- control, and relational concerns important to understanding self-control.
Abstract: The boundary between psychology and religion is at its murkiest around topics of interest to both forms of discourse. An attempt to clarify some of the boundary issues specifically present in discussions of self-control or self-regulation, this paper begins by examining self-control in healthy psychological functioning. Research on feedback loops, information processing and ego depletion have highlighted key psychological mechanisms involved in self-control. Next this paper explores common themes in religious perspectives regarding the virtue of self-control and self-restraint. A clear preoccupation of major religious traditions is the management of human passion and desire. In conclusion, three boundary concerns relevant to both psychology and religion are discussed: the meaning of virtue, differences in defining the self in self-control, and relational concerns important to understanding self-control.
Posted Content•
TL;DR: The authors showed that ego depletion can have negative as well as positive consequences for investment behavior, depending on the expected values of risk seeking versus risk averse behavior, in mixed-gamble (gain/loss) situations.
Abstract: Two experiments show that a shortage of self-regulatory resources results in more risk aversion in mixed-gamble (gain/loss) situations. The findings support a dual process view that distinguishes between a rational and an affective information processing system, in which self-regulatory resources are the necessary fuel for the rational system. Depending on the expected values of risk seeking versus risk averse behavior, ego depletion can have negative (experiment 1) as well as positive (experiment 2) consequences for investment behavior.
Journal Article•
01 Jan 2008
Posted Content•
TL;DR: This paper showed that ego depletion can have negative as well as positive consequences for investment behavior, depending on the expected values of risk seeking versus risk averse behavior, in mixed-gamble (gain/loss) situations.
Abstract: Two experiments show that a shortage of self-regulatory resources results in more risk aversion in mixed-gamble (gain/loss) situations. The findings support a dual process view that distinguishes between a rational and an affective information processing system, in which self-regulatory resources are the necessary fuel for the rational system. Depending on the expected values of risk seeking versus risk averse behavior, ego depletion can have negative (experiment 1) as well as positive (experiment 2) consequences for investment behavior.