Situational Strategies for Self-Control
A review and theory paper with no sample and no test. Duckworth and colleagues argue that enacting self-control is not always difficult, particularly when it takes the form of choosing or changing situations in advance so that unwanted impulses weaken and wanted ones strengthen; one of their own examples is the student who goes to the library without a cell phone. They argue that because impulses tend to grow stronger over time, situational strategies, which stop a tempting impulse early, may be especially effective in preventing unwanted action. They also suggest that situational self-control may be underappreciated for the same reason it is so effective.
A review and theory paper with no sample and no test. Duckworth and colleagues argue that enacting self-control is not always difficult, particularly when it takes the form of choosing or changing situations in advance so that unwanted impulses weaken and wanted ones strengthen; one of their own examples is the student who goes to the library without a cell phone. They argue that because impulses tend to grow stronger over time, situational strategies, which stop a tempting impulse early, may be especially effective in preventing unwanted action. They also suggest that situational self-control may be underappreciated for the same reason it is so effective.
Written from the abstract read 2026-10-18.
What our sources record
Recorded when this source was checked, figures included, with page references and quotation marks removed.
Duckworth, A. L., Gendler, T. S., & Gross, J. J. (2016). 'Situational Strategies for Self-Control.' Perspectives on Psychological Science, 11(1), 35-55. doi:10.1177/1745691615623247.