More than resisting temptation: Beneficial habits mediate the relationship between self-control and positive life outcomes.

doi:10.1037/pspp0000026

Paper

More than resisting temptation: Beneficial habits mediate the relationship between self-control and positive life outcomes.

Published Feb 2, 2015 · Brian M. Galla, A. Duckworth

Journal of personality and social psychology

Q1 SJR score

422

Citations

11

Influential Citations

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Semantic Scholar

Abstract

Why does self-control predict such a wide array of positive life outcomes? Conventional wisdom holds that self-control is used to effortfully inhibit maladaptive impulses, yet this view conflicts with emerging evidence that self-control is associated with less inhibition in daily life. We propose that one of the reasons individuals with better self-control use less effortful inhibition, yet make better progress on their goals is that they rely on beneficial habits. Across 6 studies (total N = 2,274), we found support for this hypothesis. In Study 1, habits for eating healthy snacks, exercising, and getting consistent sleep mediated the effect of self-control on both increased automaticity and lower reported effortful inhibition in enacting those behaviors. In Studies 2 and 3, study habits mediated the effect of self-control on reduced motivational interference during a work-leisure conflict and on greater ability to study even under difficult circumstances. In Study 4, homework habits mediated the effect of self-control on classroom engagement and homework completion. Study 5 was a prospective longitudinal study of teenage youth who participated in a 5-day meditation retreat. Better self-control before the retreat predicted stronger meditation habits 3 months after the retreat, and habits mediated the effect of self-control on successfully accomplishing meditation practice goals. Finally, in Study 6, study habits mediated the effect of self-control on homework completion and 2 objectively measured long-term academic outcomes: grade point average and first-year college persistence. Collectively, these results suggest that beneficial habits-perhaps more so than effortful inhibition-are an important factor linking self-control with positive life outcomes.

Observational Study

Highly Cited

Study Snapshot

Key takeawayBetter self-control is linked to beneficial habits, which lead to increased automaticity and lower effortful inhibition in achieving goals.

PopulationOlder adults (50-71 years)

Sample size24

MethodsObservational

OutcomesBody Mass Index projections

ResultsSocial networks mitigate obesity in older groups.

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More than resisting temptation: Beneficial habits mediate the relationship between self-control and positive life outcomes.

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References

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The Academic Diligence Task (ADT) effectively assesses students' tendency to expend effort on tedious but valuable academic tasks, predicting academic outcomes beyond demographics and intelligence.

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High self-control is linked to less unhealthy snack consumption through the formation of strong habits, rather than directly resisting temptations.

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NSC data is most accurate for public institutions, but has limited coverage for for-profit colleges, and may underestimate attendance and persistence gaps due to privacy laws and typographic errors.

Citations

A qualitative investigation of individuals' lay representations of habit.

Individuals hold consistent but largely 'patchy' beliefs about habits, with few accurately identifying all or most features, suggesting incomplete beliefs.

Bidirectional negative relation between young children's persistence and cheating.

Higher situational persistence in young children is associated with a reduced likelihood of cheating, with those who cheat becoming less persistent afterward.

Peer Attachment and Self-Control: Implication on Social Anxiety in Young Adults

Peer attachment and self-control play a crucial role in reducing social anxiety in young adults, while alienation from peers and short temper increase anxiety and avoidance.

Brain mechanisms discriminating enactive mental simulations of running and plogging

The brain's activation differs between mental simulations of running and plogging, with the insular cortex playing a key role in action simulation.

Attitude, Habit Strength, and the Relationship Between Intention and Leisure-Time Physical Activity Behavior Among College Students.

Stronger habit strength positively moderates the relationship between intention and actual leisure-time physical activity behavior among college students, with affective attitude significantly influencing habit strength.