Why self-control seems (but may not be) limited
Inzlicht and colleagues propose an alternative to the idea that self-control runs on a limited resource. Their objection is both theoretical, since no plausible physical resource has been identified, and empirical, since the predictions of the resource model have not held up. Their replacement is motivational. What looks like depletion is a shift in priorities: after a stretch of effortful work on something you have to do, attention and motivation move towards things you want to do, and the apparent failure of self-control is the mind rebalancing between obligation and preference rather than running out of fuel. The account explains why incentives, expectations and beliefs about willpower change the effect so readily, which a true resource should not permit. This vault cites it as the leading alternative framework, and it should be read alongside the large replication attempts rather than as a conclusion drawn from them.
Inzlicht and colleagues propose an alternative to the idea that self-control runs on a limited resource. Their objection is both theoretical, since no plausible physical resource has been identified, and empirical, since the predictions of the resource model have not held up. Their replacement is motivational. What looks like depletion is a shift in priorities: after a stretch of effortful work on something you have to do, attention and motivation move towards things you want to do, and the apparent failure of self-control is the mind rebalancing between obligation and preference rather than running out of fuel. The account explains why incentives, expectations and beliefs about willpower change the effect so readily, which a true resource should not permit. This vault cites it as the leading alternative framework, and it should be read alongside the large replication attempts rather than as a conclusion drawn from them.
Written from the abstract, Europe PMC.
What our sources record
Reproduced as it was written when this source was checked, figures and all.
Inzlicht, M., Schmeichel, B. J. & Macrae, C. N. (2014). “Why self-control seems (but may not be) limited.” Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 18(3), 127-133.
Where we use it
- Willpower Is Not a Fuel Tank, Why We Act
Reliability of this reference
The link below was matched against the publisher's record on title, first author and year, and all three agree.
The source
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2013.12.009
DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2013.12.009