Abstract
Numerous experiments have found that exercising self-control reduces success on subsequent, seemingly unrelated self-control tasks. Such evidence lends support to a strength model that posits a limited and depletable resource underlying all manner of self-control. Recent theory and evidence suggest that exercising self-control may also increase approach-motivated impulse strength. The two studies reported here tested two implications of this increased approach motivation hypothesis. First, aftereffects of self-control should be evident even in responses that require little or no self-control. Second, participants higher in trait approach motivation should be particularly susceptible to such aftereffects. In support, exercising self-control led to increased optimism (Study 1) and broadened attention (Study 2), but only among individuals higher in trait approach motivation. These findings suggest that approach motivation is an important key to understanding the aftereffects of exercising self-control.
Highlights
Numerous experiments have found that exercising self-control reduces success on subsequent, seemingly unrelated self-control tasks
The central hypothesis was that the controlled writing task would increase optimism among participants higher in trait approach motivation
If approach motivation can increase or decrease attentional breadth, why did we find that exercising self-control increases attentional breadth in Study 2? We suspect that in the absence of salient appetitive stimuli, exercising self-control induces a low-intensity approach motivational state akin to the one that arises when imagining a mouse chase cheese (Förster et al, 2006), as opposed to the more high-intensity approach state that occurs when hungry persons view pictures of delectable desserts (Gable and Harmon-Jones, 2008)
Summary
Numerous experiments have found that exercising self-control reduces success on subsequent, seemingly unrelated self-control tasks Such evidence lends support to a strength model that posits a limited and depletable resource underlying all manner of self-control. Recent theory and evidence suggest that exercising self-control may increase approach-motivated impulse strength. In support, exercising self-control led to increased optimism (Study 1) and broadened attention (Study 2), but only among individuals higher in trait approach motivation. Resisting tempting chocolate treats can reduce persistence at a difficult puzzle (Baumeister et al, 1998), and focusing attention narrowly for an extended period of time can increase aggressive responding to an insult (Finkel et al, 2009) This evidence strongly suggests that prior exertions of self-control temporarily increase the likelihood of self-control failure. Failures of self-control may stem from strong impulses, weak self-control strength, or a combination of both factors
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