Decomposing self-control: Individual differences in goal pursuit despite interfering aversion, temptation, and distraction

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Rosa Steimke - , Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, TUD Dresden University of Technology, Humboldt University of Berlin (Author)
  • Christine Stelzel - , Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Humboldt University of Berlin (Author)
  • Robert Gaschler - , Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, FernUniversität in Hagen (Author)
  • Marcus Rothkirch - , Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Author)
  • Vera U. Ludwig - , Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Humboldt University of Berlin (Author)
  • Lena M. Paschke - , Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Humboldt University of Berlin (Author)
  • Ima Trempler - , Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Author)
  • Norbert Kathmann - , Humboldt University of Berlin (Author)
  • Thomas Goschke - , Chair of General Psychology (Author)
  • Henrik Walter - , Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, TUD Dresden University of Technology, Humboldt University of Berlin (Author)

Abstract

Self-control can be defined as the ability to exert control over ones impulses. Currently, most research in the area relies on self-report. Focusing on attentional control processes involved in self-control, we modified a spatial selective attentional cueing task to test three domains of self-control experimentally in one task using aversive, tempting, and neutral picture-distractors. The aims of the study were (1) to investigate individual differences in the susceptibility to aversive, tempting, and neutral distraction within one paradigm and (2) to test the association of these three self-control domains to conventional measures of self-control including self-report. The final sample consisted of 116 participants. The task required participants to identify target letters "E" or "F" presented at a cued target location while the distractors were presented. Behavioral and eyetracking data were obtained during the performance of the task. High task performance was encouraged via monetary incentives. In addition to the attentional self-control task, self-reported self-control was assessed and participants performed a color Stroop task, an unsolvable anagram task and a delay of gratification task using chocolate sweets. We found that aversion, temptation, and neutral distraction were associated with significantly increased error rates, reaction times and gaze pattern deviations. Overall task performance on our task correlated with self-reported self-control ability. Measures of aversion, temptation, and distraction showed moderate split-half reliability, but did not correlate with each other across participants. Additionally, participants who made a self-controlled decision in the delay of gratification task were less distracted by temptations in our task than participants who made an impulsive choice. Our individual differences analyses suggest that (1) the ability to endure aversion, resist temptations and ignore neutral distractions are independent of each other and (2) these three domains are related to other measures of self-control.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number382
JournalFrontiers in psychology
Volume7
Issue numberAPR
Publication statusPublished - 2016
Peer-reviewedYes

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Keywords

  • Disgusting pictures, Erotic pictures, Eyetracking, Self-control task, Visual attention, Willpower