Psychology 08 self control

Self-Regulation and Self-Control Value of self-control Walter Mischel: “The Marshmallow Test” Self control and positive outcomes: personal adjustment, social relations, fewer addiction p

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Self-Regulation and Self-Control

• Most students begin their college careers with the

expectation and hope of success Most students come with

a high-school academic record that suggests readiness for college Yet many students find that their goal of success

in college is threatened by poor performance or academic failure

• 1.What do you believe are the major reasons for a student’s

academic failure or poor performance?

• 2 Along with academic ability, what personal qualities are

necessary for success in college?

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Self-Regulation & Self-Control

Per Chapter 7 - Having (resources we have) & doing (goals we adopt) and importance of choosing “right” goals

(expressive, need fulfilling, autonomously chosen).

But resources and right goals not enough.

Ability to regulate behavior over time, make adjustments,

overcome obstacles, control side-tracking temptations, and stay-on task critical.

Three steps to success:

1 Resources + 2 Goals (Right Goals/Motives) + 3

Self-regulation over time to goal attainment.

Otherwise: goals simply wishes and desires with little chance

of becoming a reality.

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Self-Control and Self-Change

Most general goal = living life consistent with who want to become.

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How to Change?

Self-control major vehicle for changing self

- Ability of self to change by controlling & regulating thoughts, feelings, and actions to achieve personally-significant goal/outcome basis for self-growth & development

-Setting goals, deciding to be different, pursuing satisfying activities basis for personal change

- Not passive victims of environmental events or wishes of others

To be in control of your life means directing life according to your personal goals and conscious self-image of who want to be.

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Possible Selves versus Actual Self –

Oysterman & Markus

• 100 adolescents 14-16 yrs old - treatment.

• What predicts staying out of trouble?

• Past & Present Self

– Family support at home

– Peers - seriousness of offense

– Social class

• Possible Selves (leaving past & present self behind)

– Who might become Want to become

– Who afraid might become

– Imaginary rather than “real” self

– Ability to change and lead a new life starts with ability to imagine a new life & then living that life

– Mind as an independent cause of behavior.

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Self-Regulation and Self-Control

Value of self-control

Walter Mischel: “The Marshmallow Test”

Self control and positive outcomes:

personal adjustment, social relations, fewer addiction problems, & better college grades(2nd behind H.S grades…3rd = SAT scores) Any important success not involve self-regulation?

Failed Self-Control

Dieting, drug abuse, aggression…major theory of crime.Failed control & impulsiveness

Origins: Genetics parents who monitor & supervise - external

becomes internalized in child’s own monitoring/control system

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Control Theory versus Self-Discrepancy Theory

Two time perspectives & emotional consequences of evaluation

self-1.Control Theory - Where at relative to future goal -in progress.

TOTE test - operate - test - exit - endless feedback loop Monitor - compare - adjust in relation to future goal.

People’s future personal goals:

By definition always falling short of future goals not

achieved yet Rate of progress towards goal… How

rapidly reducing discrepancy…

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2.Self-Discrepancy Theory - Where at now relative to ideal

Usually falling short of ideal self

Goals as self-guides to evaluate present self in relation to

ideal self

Achieve ideal - feel good…falling short of ideals feel bad

Size of discrepancy - ideal versus actual determines

emotion

Negative emotion - discrepancy - major motivator

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Requirements for Successful Self-Regulation to Goal

Control Theory Requirements: TOTE

1 Clear standard/goal-

Fuzzy, unclear & abstract goals difficult to regulate.

“Be better person.”; “Drink less.”; etc… no clear criteria for marking progress or achievement.

Image of self want to be.

2 Monitoring

system-No monitoring, low awareness, clueless - no regulation.

Effective monitoring, self-awareness, keeping track.

How much eat, drink, smoke, grades in a class.

3 Strength and Self-Discipline

Giving in to short-term temptations - procrastination.

Difficult - dieting failure rate - high.

Maintaining motivation & interest over four years of college.

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Self-Regulation Research

Factors that affect success & failure of 3 self-regulation processes:

Planning - why helps

Overcoming limited self-control resources

Goal conflict

Concrete versus abstract goals

-trivial pursuits to magnificent obsessions Goals difficult to monitor & regulate

Approach & avoidance goals Ironic backfire effects of mental control

Excuses for failed control

Procrastination

Knowing when to give it up

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Planning for Success

Gollwitzer

Goal intentions - desire to achieve a certain goal.

Implementation intentions - plan of action - steps necessary to achieve goal.

- Planning critical to success:

“ I need to exercise more.” versus “At 5:30 p.m every day I’m going

to watch the evening news and walk on the treadmill.”

Easy tasks: planning not so critical hard tasks: more important Not squelch spontaneity…but things “don’t” want to do.

Research: Goals for Christmas break (semester continues)

E.g., writing class paper, resolving family conflicts,athletic

activities…

Made specific plans…where, when, how?

Made plans - 66% completed their projects

No plans - 25% - most failed to achieve goals.

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Why Planning Helps

I Planning imposes structure on busy lives and makes working on goals “automatic.”

Pass control from internal to external environment.

How many “plan” to take a shower?

Setting aside time and place to study versus “winging it.”

II Conserving Self-Control Resources

Baumeister - Self-control like muscle - weakens with use.

Limited resource, can use up if too many demands or weakened resolve.

E.g., stress & eating Research: Task one - suppress urge to eat yummy chocolate

or suppress emotions from film Task two - less able to control behavior, suppress, & stay on task

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Commitment to Goal and Confidence Can Achieve

Commitment = degree of importance, determination, willingness

to persevere in face of obstacles Lack of commitment - going through motions.

Confidence & self-efficacy = belief bring about desired outcome Believe have what it takes related to ability but not same

thing.

E.g., lose confidence despite ability.

Research - Brunstein: Student goals over semester.

Both commitment & confidence in perceived attainability

predicted attainment, progress satisfaction.

High commitment & low confidence - most dissatisfying.

Commitment not enough.

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Approach versus Avoidance Goals

Approach: playing to win get a good grade.

Focus on positive outcome Regulation of behavior aimed at

reducing discrepancy between goal and where are now.

Monitoring, adjusting behavior to achievement fueled by

positive motivation.

Avoidance Goals: playing not to lose…not failing a class.

Focus on preventing a negative outcome Regulation of

behavior aimed at increasing the discrepancy between goal and where at now E.g., not gain back weight lost in dieting… farther away from what want to avoid the better.

Lots of research; avoidance goals associated with more stress,

anxiety, less satisfaction Less progress and poorer achievement than approach goals

People with lots of avoidance goals = lower well-being and less

success.

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Why Avoidance Goals are Difficult to Regulate

Why should it make a difference?

Why?

Relations: Desire to avoid conflict, being hurt or rejected by

others undermine relationships while desire to be more complementary or share more fun activities enriches? Therapy: Being less shy or moody less helpful than being

more confident or more accepting of self?

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Regulation Problems

1 Number of goal pathways and stresses of monitoring.

Approach - fewer routes to goal…doing something nice for

friend -only need one thing.

Avoidance: not offend others…always on guard in others’

company, have to monitor all signs of negative reactions and make adjustments.

Constant monitoring may wear down self-control resources.

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2 Threat, anxiety, guilt, & negative emotions

Many avoidance goals inherently negative…guilt if don’t avoid

Dieters resisting temptation, guilt if fall off diet…face constant reminders of threat to diet…ads, on T.V., grocery store, etc…

Negative emotions harder to regulate -reduced resources interferes with effectiveness

Regulation Problems (continued)

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3 Decreased feelings of competence, esteem

Negative emotions may mediate lack of effectiveness…more frustration, more setbacks lowers confidence and esteem….give up

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5 Motives that underlie “avoidance” versus “approach”

May be aspect of personality.

People differ in general approach vs avoidance orientation.

Avoidance orientation linked to lower well-being & happiness.

Research:

Positive orientation towards affiliation with others

versus fear of rejection as major motive (avoid embarrassment, betrayal,

hurt, conflict, preventing negative interactions).

Fear of rejection motive = more loneliness, negative

relationships, and more stress and physical ailments, e.g., headaches.

Similar pattern for those oriented towards success vs fear of

failure.

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Origins of Approach and Avoidance Goal Orientation

Origins?

Higgins - Parenting - relative strength of internalized ideal versus

“ought” self leading to a promotion approach versus

prevention avoidance goal orientation.

Two Styles

1.Nurturing - independence - explore/overcome challenges - do this try this - develop strong ideal self - approach goals.

2.Safety Rules Obligations “oughts”

-Don’t do this, avoid this, here are the rules, don’t break them

Follow rules of good conduct, be on guard for transgressions Stay safe & secure….avoid risks, etc….

Develop strong ought self - avoidance goals.

Avoidance types are likely “worriers” who think of everything that can go wrong rather than what might go right

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Goal Conflict

Self-regulation failure because too much to regulate.

Multiple activities & goals - doing one interferes with other.

Planning & scheduling or reorganizing goals only solution Scheduling to “max” recipe for problems and stress.

Mutually-facilitative goals sometimes possible…

Writing papers on same topic of interest in several classes Academics, careers, and meeting friends - join campus

group…Psych Club.

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Trivial Pursuits and Magnificent Obsessions

Matter if goals are abstract/general or concrete/specific?

Action identification theory –(applies to everyone)

Goals can be identified at different levels of abstraction:

Lower levels - concrete -smaller context of specific behaviors, how & what doing

E.g., studying for exam - helping son with homework - struggling with paragraph.

Higher levels - abstract - larger context of general purpose, why doing something.

E.g., getting an education - being a good parent - writing great book.

Higher level more affirming of self-concept - more motivating - like to think in higher-level terms - but if run into troubles shift focus down

to specifics.

Both co-exist - shift focus at will…big goals help motivate small goals.

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Individual Differences in Characteristic Level of Goals

Emmons - People with too many very abstract and people with too many very concrete goals - have problems - lower SWB.

Problems When Personal Goals Dominated by Abstract Goals E.g., being better person, becoming more knowledgeable, being more realistic, think more positive thoughts.

-Fuzzy goals - how know when achieved?

- Long-term goals - regulate over very long periods - harder.

- Hard to regulate, know how to achieve and if achieved.

Result: more frustration, uncertainty, and disappointment.

- Always falling short in short term.

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Problem with Dominance of Concrete/Trivial Goals

Emmons study - people with many concrete goals - more

distress and physical illness symptoms.

E.g., personal goals people listed:

looking well-groomed and clean cut

drinking more water

keeping good posture/walking straight

cutting down on frozen dinners

Very concrete and therefore manageable but not very

meaningful or personally expressive - not satisfying when achieved.

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Emmons: Low-level striving may reflect repressive

personality type.

People who deny their emotional distress and avoid

emotional issues by busying themselves with distracting activities to avoid thinking about problems “Trivial

pursuits” to avoid your problems.

People who find something to do rather than someone to

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Manageable Goals & Plans to Achieve

Conclusion:

Higher-level goals more satisfying to achieve - more

expressive and meaningful.

But - every higher-level goal needs a “by.”

I will become more knowledgeable by…reading, taking

classes

I will adopt a healthier lifestyle by………

I will become a better better parent, student, etc by…….

Otherwise: only an abstract wish & source of disappointment when continually don’t achieve or make progress.

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Ironic Effects of Mental Control

Irony of trying to control unwanted thoughts &

feelings.

Dieters trying not to think about food or hunger Trying to not think about hurtful experience,

failed relationship, or behavior ashamed of.

More try to suppress more can’t stop thinking about it.

Suppression as the parent of obsession.

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Wegner - Research

Try not to think of a white bear but ring the bell if you do

Harder than think - people only partly successful

But - Rebound Effect - strong reoccurrence of thought after

suppression task over

Irony - attempts at control increased unwanted thought

Dieter - each successful act of resistance - plagued with more thoughts - increase need to put food on forbidden thoughts list

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Mental Load and Paradox of Control

Interaction of two mental control operating systems

Operating Process

Intentional process requiring conscious effort - directing thoughts and attention - can be disrupted by mental load such as stress - things that distract or disrupt

concentration.

Ironic Monitoring Process

Largely unconscious and requires little effort - difficult to

disrupt or stop - automatic like driving car - unaware.

Monitoring process scans thoughts, environment, & memories for any signs of forbidden thought - when detects

unwanted thought brings into conscious awareness and

activates operating system to suppress or distract.

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