The role of anticipated emotions in self-control: linking self-control and the anticipatory ability to engage emotions associated with upcoming events
Publikation: Beitrag in Fachzeitschrift › Forschungsartikel › Beigetragen › Begutachtung
Beitragende
Abstract
Self-control is typically attributed to “cold” cognitive control mechanisms that top-down influence “hot” affective impulses or emotions. In this study we tested an alternative view, assuming that self-control also rests on the ability to anticipate emotions directed toward future consequences. Using a behavioral within-subject design including an emotion regulation task measuring the ability to voluntarily engage anticipated emotions towards an upcoming event and a self-control task in which subjects were confronted with a variety of everyday conflict situations, we examined the relationship between self-control and anticipated emotions. We found that those individuals (n = 33 healthy individuals from the general population) who were better able to engage anticipated emotions to an upcoming event showed stronger levels of self-control in situations where it was necessary to resist short-term temptations or to endure short-term aversions to achieve long-term goals. This finding suggests that anticipated emotions may play a functional role in self-control-relevant deliberations with respect to possible future consequences and are not only inhibited top-down as implied by “dual system” views on self-control.
Details
Originalsprache | Englisch |
---|---|
Aufsatznummer | 1152155 |
Seitenumfang | 15 |
Fachzeitschrift | Frontiers in psychology |
Jahrgang | 14(2023) |
Publikationsstatus | Veröffentlicht - 8 Jan. 2024 |
Peer-Review-Status | Ja |
Externe IDs
ORCID | /0000-0002-1005-0090/work/161407739 |
---|
Schlagworte
ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete
Schlagwörter
- anticipated emotions, dual system view, emotion regulation, self-control, volitional control