Abstract
Loneliness has been associated with multiple negative outcomes. But what contributes to loneliness in the first place? Drawing from the literature on the importance of self-regulatory ability for successful social functioning, the present research explored the role of low self-control as a factor leading to loneliness. A set of four studies (and three additional studies in Supplementary Online Materials) using cross-sectional, experimental, daily diary, and experience sampling methods showed that lower self-control is associated with higher loneliness at both trait and state levels. Why does low self-control contribute to loneliness? Self-control failures that have negative implications for others lead to higher risks for being ostracized by others, which predicts increased feelings of loneliness over time. These results suggest that low self-control, which is often associated with negative intrapersonal outcomes, can have important interpersonal consequences by evoking ostracism, and consequently, loneliness.
Highlights
IntroductionIndividuals scoring high on trait selfcontrol do not necessarily do better on effortful inhibition tasks (Duckworth & Kern, 2011; Imhoff et al, 2014)
Making use of the longitudinal data structure, we tested the prospective effect of self-control on loneliness by exploring whether self-control failure on one day is associated with more loneliness on the following day
Why is low self-control associated with more loneliness? We proposed that low self-control signals lower trustworthiness and leads to an increased likelihood of ostracism and, loneliness
Summary
Individuals scoring high on trait selfcontrol do not necessarily do better on effortful inhibition tasks (Duckworth & Kern, 2011; Imhoff et al, 2014) This lack of consistent associations between trait self-control and proneness to depletion effects gave rise to a call for a stronger conceptual and empirical integration of research on trait and state self-control (de Ridder et al, 2018). We adopt the trait and state approach to personality that defines personality states as behavioral manifestations of the respective personality traits (Fleeson, 2001) Following this approach, we define state self-control as momentary experiences of self-control failures/success, that is, giving into/not giving into a tempting momentary desire at the cost of a long-term goal. We explore the role of both trait and state self-control in individuals’ experience of loneliness
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