Regulating disappointment can impair cognitive performance in kindergarten children: Individual differences in ego depletion

Abstract

Cognitive performance can be affected adversely when exerting self-control beforehand; a phenomenon known as ego depletion. The aim of the current study was to examine whether regulation of disappointment impairs cognitive performance in kindergarten children (mean age = 5 years, 6 months). Disappointment was induced by means of a modified version of the disappointing gift paradigm. Ego depletion effects were examined based on two different variables: cognitive performance and behavioral responses. Participants assigned to the experimental condition (n = 74) were disappointed before solving a cognitive executive function task. Participants assigned to the control condition (n = 74) were not disappointed before solving the cognitive task. Group comparisons (i.e., control group vs. experimental group) showed reduced cognitive performance for the experimental group in terms of accuracy and in terms of speed. Subsequent analyses for the experimental group revealed that only children who expressed appreciative positive emotions when receiving the unwanted gift showed impaired performance on the subsequent cognitive task. Children who expressed negative emotions when receiving the unwanted gift, as well as children who displayed no reaction toward the unwanted gift, did not show impaired cognitive performance. Furthermore, results revealed the crucial role of language for self-regulation skills. Overall, the current results underline the importance of taking individual difference in regulation strategies into account when examining ego depletion.