Measures Of Self-control Research Articles

Health warnings promote healthier dietary decision making: Effects of positive versus negative message framing and graphic versus text-based warnings

Food product health warnings have been proposed as a potential obesity prevention strategy. This study examined the effects of text-only and text-and-graphic, negatively and positively framed health warnings on dietary choice behavior. In a 2 × 5 mixed experimental design, 96 participants completed a dietary self-control task. After providing health and taste ratings of snack foods, participants completed a baseline measure of dietary self-control, operationalized as participants' frequency of choosing healthy but not tasty items and rejecting unhealthy yet tasty items to consume at the end of the experiment. Participants were then randomly assigned to one of five health warning groups and presented with 10 health warnings of a given form: text-based, negative framing; graphic, negative framing; text, positive framing; graphic, positive framing; or a no warning control. Participants then completed a second dietary decision making session to determine whether health warnings influenced dietary self-control. Linear mixed effects modeling revealed a significant interaction between health warning group and decision stage (pre- and post-health warning presentation) on dietary self-control. Negatively framed graphic health warnings promoted greater dietary self-control than other health warnings. Negatively framed text health warnings and positively framed graphic health warnings promoted greater dietary self-control than positively framed text health warnings and control images, which did not increase dietary self-control. Overall, HWs primed healthier dietary decision making behavior, with negatively framed graphic HWs being most effective. Health warnings have potential to become an important element of obesity prevention.

Reported Self-control is not Meaningfully Associated with Inhibition-related Executive Function: A Bayesian Analysis

Self-control is assessed using a remarkable array of measures. In a series of five data-sets (overall N = 2,641) and a mini meta-analysis, we explored the association between canonical operationalisations of self-control: The Self-Control Scale and two measures of inhibition-related executive functioning (the Stroop and Flanker paradigms). Overall, Bayesian correlational analyses suggested little-to-no relationship between self-reported self-control and performance on the Stroop and Flanker tasks. The Bayesian meta-analytical summary of all five data-sets further favoured a null relationship between both types of measurement. These results suggest that the field’s most widely used measure of self-reported self-control is uncorrelated with two of the most widely adopted executive functioning measures of self-control. Consequently, theoretical and practical conclusions drawn using one measure (e.g., the Self-Control Scale) cannot be generalised to findings using the other (e.g., the Stroop task). The lack of empirical correlation between measures of self-control do not invalidate either measure, but instead suggest that treatments of the construct of self-control need to pay greater attention to convergent validity among the many measures used to operationalize self-control.

Risk factors for self-reported delinquency in emerging adulthood

The goal of this study is to examine risk factors for delinquency in emerging adulthood, highlighting any differences between those generally found for adolescent delinquent behaviour. The importance of examining risk factors for this age group is discussed, given recent changes in the nature of the early adult years, and the fact that, although the majority of adolescent offenders desist during adulthood, there remain a high number of offenders in the early adult years. Risk effects for self-reported delinquency were examined in a general population sample of emerging adults (age 18–24). A range of risk factor measures, such as peer delinquency, need for autonomy, parental support and substance use, were used to predict reporting of at least one arrestable offence in a six-month period beginning a year later. In the full model, parental social support, alcohol use and a measure of self-control, aggression and criminal attitude all significantly predicted delinquency. We conclude that a good relationship with parents continues to be an important protective factor and that alcohol use continues to indicate problems with delinquency during emerging adulthood, similarly to during adolescence. These two factors are discussed as being suitable issues for interventions. We also discuss the theoretical implications of our findings.

Planning and self-control, but not working memory, directly predict multiplication performance in adults

Empirical evidence suggests that working memory (WM) is closely related to arithmetic performance. WM, which is the ability to monitor and update recent information, underlies various cognitive processes and behaviors including planning, self-regulation, and self-control. However, only a few studies have examined whether WM uniquely explains variance in arithmetic performance when other WM-related domain-general factors are taken into account. In this study, we examined whether WM explains unique variance in arithmetic performance when planning, self-regulation, and self-control are considered as well. We used the Tower of London task as a measure of planning, self-rated reports as a measure of self-regulation and self-control, and WM measures, to test which of these domain-general functions predicts complex multiplication performance. Results showed that planning predicted multiplication accuracy and self-control predicted response time, while WM and self-regulation did not predict complex multiplication performance. Although WM was not a direct predictor of multiplication performance, it possibly exerted its influence as part of planning ability. We suggest that complex multiplication is not predicted by WM per se, but rather by WM-related general cognitive and behavioral factors, namely self-control and the planning component of executive functions.

Exploring differences in self-control across sex, race, age, education, and language: Considering a bifactor MIMIC model

PurposeTwo research avenues on self-control measurement have explored the factor structure and identified differential item functioning (DIF) in the Grasmick et al. (1993) scale. This work integrates and extends this research by considering the consequences of factor structure for the detection of biased items across age, sex, race, education, and language. MethodsWithin a structural equation modeling framework, unidimensional and bifactor multiple indicator, multiple causes (MIMIC) models are employed to detect DIF in covariates under alternative factor structures. Effects of covariates on item responses are decomposed into general, specific, and DIF effects and mean difference tests are conducted. ResultsFactor structure contributed to an overestimation of DIF; nonetheless, 32% of all possible covariate-to-item effects exhibited DIF, which was most common across race and language. Bias due to factor structure and DIF for mean difference tests in self-control was confined to race, where the effect was underestimated by half. Except for sex, there were generally larger implications of factor structure and DIF for mean difference tests of the elements. ConclusionApart from race, testing group differences in self-control with an observed scale score is largely unbiased. Testing group differences in elements using observed subscores is frequently biased and generally unsupported.

To Take the Stairs or Not to Take the Stairs? Employing the Reflective⁻Impulsive Model to Predict Spontaneous Physical Activity.

The reflective–impulsive model (RIM) has been employed to explain various health behaviors. The present study used RIM to predict a spontaneous physical activity behavior. Specifically, 107 participants (75 females; Mage = 20.6 years, SD = 1.92 years) completed measures of (1) reflections about spontaneous physical activity, as indexed by self-report questionnaire; (2) impulse toward physical activity, as indexed by the manikin task; and (3) (state) self-control, as indexed by the Stroop task. The dependent variable was whether participants took the stairs or the elevator to the study laboratory. Results revealed reflections toward spontaneous physical activity positively predicted stair-taking. Further, a significant impulse toward physical activity × self-control interaction was observed. This interaction revealed that participants with high self-control who had a high impulse toward PA were more likely to take the stairs than their counterparts with a low impulse toward PA, whereas the opposite was the case for participants with low self-control. However, the impulse × self-control interaction was not significant when employing a self-report measure of trait self-control. Thus, RIM may be a good framework with which to consider spontaneous physical activity, but careful consideration must be given when examining variables within RIM (e.g., the boundary condition of self-control).

The Personality of a “Good Test Taker”: Self-Control and Mindfulness Predict Good Time-Management When Taking Exams.

Much prior research has linked trait self-control and trait mindfulness with improved performance on overall academic metrics such as GPA. The present research expands on this literature by linking self-control, mindfulness, and closely related personality constructs to differences in the way students manage their time while taking exams. Students at two large public universities (total n = 362) completed scale measures of self-control, mindfulness, and their use of time when taking timed examinations. The results suggest that trait self-control (r = .174) and trait mindfulness (r = .311) are statistically significant predictors of effective time management while taking timed exams.

Getting a Grip on the Handgrip Task: Handgrip Duration Correlates with Neuroticism But Not Conscientiousness.

Questions regarding the replicability of key findings in the self-regulation literature (e.g., ego-depletion effect) have led some to call for a more thorough evaluation of commonly used measures of self-control. The isometric handgrip task is one such measure. The current study examined correlates of handgrip persistence using data drawn from a larger randomized controlled trial. Handgrip persistence was measured both at baseline and following a physical stressor (cold pressor test). Correlations were examined between handgrip performance and personality traits theoretically closely linked with self-regulation: conscientiousness and neuroticism. Baseline handgrip performance was correlated with several measures drawn from the nomological network of self-regulation including measures of trait neuroticism, mindfulness, anxiety sensitivity, perceived stress, and positive affect, although not with trait conscientiousness. Baseline handgrip predicted aversiveness experienced during the physical stressor, while changes in handgrip performance tracked changes in implicit and explicit negative affect (i.e., affective reactivity). These associations were largely maintained when controlling for variables highly correlated with overall grip strength (i.e., gender, height, and weight), although correlations separated by gender suggest associations were primarily driven by female participants. Results support future research using the handgrip task.

With or Without Them: Improving Self-Control in Juvenile Offenders

ABSTRACTIncreasing self-control is a key-factor in the rehabilitation process of young criminals. Based on two well-established theories of self-control, we tested a short mindfulness training and the motivational effect of group identification on a standard self-control measurement in an sample of 57 incarcerated male youth from a German youth detention center. In accordance with our hypothesis, both treatments led to higher self-control than a control group. These findings indicate that mindfulness and group identification foster self-control even in an untrained sample of incarcerated young men and contribute therefore to resource-oriented successful rehabilitation programs.

The Development of a Measure of Irrational/Rational Beliefs

The Attitudes and Belief Scale-2 (ABS-2) developed in the late 1980s, is a measure of Ellis’ irrational and rational beliefs. Although no publication has described the instrument and it has only appeared in conference presentations, many researchers have used the ABS-2 to test REBT. This article describes the development of the ABS-2 and the original research on its psychometric properties. The scale has three factors that represent 24 different cells in a 4 × 2 × 3 factorial model. The first factor, Cognitive Processes, reflects Ellis’ concepts of Demandingness, Awfulizing, Frustration Intolerance, and Self-Downing. The second factor covers irrationally worded items versus rationally worded items. The rationally worded items were written to counter the irrational beliefs. The third factor includes content or life themes about which the person could be concerned, and includes Achievement, Affiliation, and Comfort. The ABS-2 generates a Total Score, a Total Irrationality Score, a Total Rationality score, and Scales scores representing each of the four Cognitive Processes domains and each of the three Content domains. The ABS-2 scores demonstrate adequate to excellent internal consistency, and correlate significantly with measures of depression, anxiety, life satisfaction, selfcontrol, well-being, and measures of internalizing personality disorders. The ABS-2 did not correlate significantly with measures of anger, externalizing personality disorders, mania, and somatoform disorder. An exploratory factor analysis provided weak support for the factor structure of the scale. The ABS-2 scores distinguish between normal and clinical samples. Rationally worded items discriminated between clinical and nonclinical groups much better than did the irrationally worded scales, suggesting that instruments that only assess irrational beliefs might underestimate the support for REBT.

Does choice of measure matter? Assessing the similarities and differences among self-control scales

PurposeTo assess the extent to which three well-validated measures of self-control are assessing the same construct. MethodsTwo student samples (ns=315 and 172) completed multiple self-control scales (the Grasmick et al. scale, Weinberger Adjustment Inventory-Restraint, and the Tangney et al. scale), as well as other personality traits, aggression, and offending scales. ResultsThe three scales correlated highly with one another (rs ranged from 0.65–0.69) and rank-order differences were uncommon (approximately 80% were within 1 standard deviation). However, each scale demonstrated somewhat different patterns in terms of their relationships with other personality indices, aggression, and offending. ConclusionsThe Grasmick scale and Weinberger Adjustment Inventory were similar to one another in many (but not all) instances, and both were distinct from the Tangney scale. The three self-control scales used in this analysis have much in common, but they are not identical. Moreover, with the exception of the Tangney scale, the constructs assessed by the self-control scales are not synonymous with Conscientiousness or impulsivity. Care should be exercised in including these different self-control scales and similar constructs (e.g., impulsivity) within meta-analytic studies as effect sizes risk being misspecified.

Psychological Benefits of Yoga for Female Inmates.

Female inmates involved in the Yoga Prison Project at two correctional facilities in South Carolina served as subjects. Inmates were selected from those who applied to participate in a ten-week trauma-focused yoga program. To create control and experimental groups, inmates who requested to participate were randomly assigned to be in the class (Treatment Group, n = 33) or a waitlist (Control Group, n = 17). Inmates on the waitlist subsequently joined the next class, so all who applied and were eligible participated in a yoga class. Measures of stress, depression, self control, anxiety, self awareness and rumination were used and data was collected from both groups before the initial yoga class began and again at the end, ten weeks later. To assess the changes from pre-intervention to post-intervention, mixed design ANOVA tests were conducted. Inmates in the yoga group reported significant decreases in depression and stress and improved self-awareness. No significant changes were found on measures of anxiety, rumination and self-control in the yoga groups. Although not statistically significant, anxiety scores did decrease and self-control scores improved for the yoga group, while inmates in the control group reported a worsening or no change on these two measures. No changes were found in rumination levels. The results suggest that Yoga is a relatively inexpensive intervention that could benefit both inmates and prison staff by reducing some negative behaviors and possibly mental health problems.

Psychological Benefits of Yoga for Female Inmates

Female inmates involved in the Yoga Prison Project at two correctional facilities in South Carolina served as subjects. Inmates were selected from those who applied to participate in a ten-week trauma-focused yoga program. To create control and experimental groups, inmates who requested to participate were randomly assigned to be in the class (Treatment Group, n = 33) or a waitlist (Control Group, n = 17). Inmates on the waitlist subsequently joined the next class, so all who applied and were eligible participated in a yoga class. Measures of stress, depression, self control, anxiety, self awareness and rumination were used and data was collected from both groups before the initial yoga class began and again at the end, ten weeks later. To assess the changes from pre-intervention to post-intervention, mixed design ANOVA tests were conducted. Inmates in the yoga group reported significant decreases in depression andstress and improved self-awareness. No significant changes were found on measures of anxiety, rumination and self-control in the yoga groups. Although not statistically significant, anxiety scores did decrease and self-control scores improved for the yoga group, while inmates in the control group reported a worsening or no change on these two measures. No changes were found in rumination levels. The results suggest that Yoga is a relatively inexpensive intervention that could benefit both inmates and prison staff by reducing some negative behaviors and possibly mental health problems.

Awareness of low self-control: Theory and evidence from a homeless shelter

Survey measures of self-control provide a potential low-cost alternative to incentivized elicitation. However, asking respondents to introspect on their self-control problems may instead measure their awareness of them, especially in populations with low self-control. We illustrate this with the Ameriks, Caplin, Leahy, and Tyler (2007) survey, which captures self-control problems through the deviation between self-reported ideal and predicted behavior (Expected Deviation, ED). Previous empirical evidence from high income or highly educated populations correlates larger ED with worse outcomes. We theoretically show that the reverse will be true in settings where awareness can play a large role: when self-control is low and costly commitment devices are available. We empirically show that, for residents of a homeless shelter, ED is positively correlated to savings in shelter lockboxes, a costly commitment device. This correlation is stronger for those likely to experience more self-control problems: individuals with past addiction problems.

An Examination of the Role of Self-Control and Impact of Ego Depletion on Integrity Testing

ABSTRACTThis article examines the role of self-control in the measurement of integrity. We present two empirical studies. In Study 1 we examine the nomological net for the integrity construct. Results indicate that self-control accounts for a substantial portion of the variance in integrity scores over and above measures of the Big Five personality dimensions. In Study 2, we examine the impact of ego depletion on a measure of integrity. Consistent with hypotheses, results indicate that scores on measures of integrity and self-control were lower under ego depletion conditions. Implications for the measurement and assessment of integrity are discussed.

Mother, father, and adolescent self-control and adherence in adolescents with Type 1 diabetes.

This study explored whether shared self-control across a family system, including adolescent, mother, and father self-control, as well as the interaction of mother and father self-control, was associated with ease of completing adherence tasks and the completion of adherence behaviors related to the Type 1 diabetes (T1D) regimen. One hundred thirty-seven adolescents (M = 13.48 years), mothers, and fathers completed a self-report measure of self-control, while adolescents also self-reported on ease of completing adherence tasks and the frequency with which they completed adherence tasks. Higher adolescent, mother, father, and the interaction of mother and father self-control were each associated with greater adolescent perceptions of ease of completing adherence tasks. Also, greater adolescent perception of ease of adherence mediated the association of higher adolescent, father, and the interaction of mother and father self-control on more frequent adherence behaviors. The results are consistent with the idea that family members may share the load of self-control within the family system. The results point to the importance of assessing and intervening within the entire family system to support improved quality of life and better adherence to the medical regimen in adolescents with Type 1 diabetes. (PsycINFO Database Record

Self-Control And Academic Performance In Engineering

Self-control has been related to positive student outcomes including academic performance of college students. Because of the critical nature of the first semester academic performance for engineering students in terms of retention and persistence in pursuing an engineering degree, this study investigated the relationship between freshmen engineering students’ scores on the Brief Self-Control Scale and first semester GPA. To identify the unique explanatory contribution of self-control beyond incoming academic performance differences, the effect of ACT Composite scores was statistically removed from the sample of three cohorts of freshmen engineering students (n=1295 total). The results showed the measure of self-control explained on average 4.2% of the residual variability in first semester GPA, after accounting for the variability explained by ACT scores. Based on results of this study, self-control predicted between 27%-42% as much of the variance in first semester GPA as did ACT scores, a much-used high stakes measure frequently used for decisions such as program admittance or mathematics course placement. Thus self-control is a nontrivial predictor of academic performance. Based on post hoc analysis, relevant self-control behaviors might manifest themselves in time and study management since there was a significant correlation between self-control scores and scores on the MSLQ time and study management measure. These results have implications for both how much of an impact positive self-control may have on freshmen engineering academic performance, while also offering potential avenues to support students in bolstering aspects of this personality trait through a focus on strengthening time and study management skills.

Higher Heart-Rate Variability Is Associated with Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex Activity and Increased Resistance to Temptation in Dietary Self-Control Challenges.

Self-control is associated with better health, but behavioral and psychometric self-control measures allow only indirect associations with health outcomes and may be distorted by reporting bias. We tested whether resting heart-rate variability (HRV), a physiological indicator of psychological and physical health, can predict individual differences in dietary self-control in humans. We found that higher HRV was associated with better self-control and improved predictions of choice behavior. Specifically, higher HRV was associated with more effective downregulation of taste temptations, and with a diminished neural representation of taste temptations during self-control challenges. Our results suggest that HRV may serve as an easily acquired, noninvasive, and low-cost biomarker for self-control ability.

Regulating fears of rejection

Relationship conflict often incites fears of rejection, and rejection fears can lead to destructive behaviors toward intimate partners. In the current study, we tested whether dispositional mindfulness attenuated rejection fears, and destructive behaviors arising from rejection fears, during daily conflict with romantic partners. Participants first completed measures of dispositional mindfulness, self-esteem, relationship commitment, and self-control. Participants then reported their daily experiences of conflict with their romantic partner, fears of rejection, and destructive behavior each day for 10 days. Greater daily conflict was associated with increases in daily rejection fears, and greater rejection fears were associated with increases in destructive behaviors. However, both of these within-person associations were attenuated for people higher in dispositional mindfulness. Moreover, the buffering effect of mindfulness on rejection fears was particularly effective for those low in self-esteem who chronically doubt their relational value and typically show heightened fears of rejection. The attenuating effect of mindfulness on rejection fears and destructive behaviors was also independent of other factors shown to produce more constructive reactions to relationship conflict, including participants’ relationship commitment and self-control. These results reveal the unique and important role dispositional mindfulness plays in regulating rejection fears and facilitating more constructive behaviors during daily life.

I can't wait! Neural reward signals in impulsive individuals exaggerate the difference between immediate and future rewards.

Waiting for rewards is difficult, and highly impulsive individuals with low self-control have an especially hard time with it. Here, we investigated whether neural responses to rewards in a delayed gratification task predict impulsivity and self-control. The EEG was recorded from participants engaged in a guessing game in which on each trial they could win either a large or small reward, paid either now or after 6 months. Ratings confirmed that participants preferred immediate, large rewards over small, delayed rewards. Electrophysiological reward signals reflecting the difference between immediate and future rewards predicted self-report measures of impulsivity and self-control. Further, these signals were highly reliable across two sessions over a 1-week interval, showing high temporal stability like stable personality traits. These results suggest that greater valuation of immediate rewards causes impulsive individuals to redirect control away from delayed rewards, indicating why it is so hard for them to wait.