A single item measure of self-control – validation and location in a nomological network of self-control, boredom, and if-then planning

Abstract

Self-control is a highly adaptive human capacity and research on self-control is booming. To further facilitate self-control research, especially in conditions where time-constraints might render the use of multi-item measures of self-control problematic, a validated time-efficient single item measure would be an asset. However, such a measure has not yet been developed and tested. Here, we address this gap by reporting the psychometric properties of a single item measure of self-control and by assessing its localization within a larger theorized psychometric network consisting of self-control, boredom and if-then planning. In a high-powered (N = 1553) study with paid online workers from the US (Gender: 47.3% female, 51.7% male, 1% other; Age: 40.36 ± 12.65 years), we found evidence for the convergent validity (Brief Self-Control Scale), divergent validity (Short Boredom Proneness Scale and If-Then Planning Scale), and criterion validity (objective and subjective Socio-Economic Status) of the single item measure of self-control (“How much self-control do you have?”). Network psychometrics further revealed that the single item was part of the self-control subnetwork and clearly distinguishable from boredom and if-then planning, which together with self-control form a larger psychometric network of psychological dispositions that are relevant for orienting goal directed behavior. Thus, the present findings indicate that self-control can be adequately captured with the single item measure presented here, thereby extending the methodological toolbox of self-control researchers by a highly-time efficient measure

Getting Trapped in a Dead End? Trait Self-Control and Boredom Are Linked to Goal Adjustment

“…Also, the nodes representing the GAS items displayed many non-zero edges with nodes representing ifthen planning, suggesting a tight association between both constructs. The nodes representing items of the domain-general self-control and boredom proneness scales are closely intertwined, in line with the substantial correlation between both constructs in our study and corroborating previous findings that the two constructs are difficult to disentangle with the currently used measures (Wolff, Bieleke, Englert, et al, 2021). Taken together, the psychometric network analysis corroborates the observation that if-then planning seems to play a vital role in goal disengagement and goal reengagement.…”

“…As expected, measures of self-control and boredom were negatively associated with each other, and these correlations were small-to-moderate. Interestingly, the largest correlation emerged between domain-general self-control and boredom proneness, in line with previous research showing substantial overlap between these constructs (e.g., Wolff, Bieleke, Englert, et al, 2021).…”

“…Another intriguing finding pertains to the negative association between goal disengagement and boredom proneness in Study 2 that we did not observe in Study 1. This might be attributed to low levels of domain-general self-control among boredom-prone individuals (both in the present studies and in the literature; e.g., Wolff, Bieleke, Englert, et al, 2021): In Study 1, we focused on general tendencies to disengage from unattainable goals in everyday life. Boredom-prone individuals might swiftly disengage from such goals when alternative activities require little selfcontrol (e.g., watching Netflix) but struggle with disengagement when alternative activities require self-control (e.g., exercising; see Wolff, Bieleke, Stähler, & Schüler, 2021), obfuscating the predicted association between boredom proneness and goal disengagement.…”

Boredom is the root of all evil — or is it? A psychometric network approach to individual differences in behavioral responses to boredom

“…For instance, it has been suggested that boredom proneness essentially overlaps with poor self-control. This is indicated by substantial correlations between the SBPS and measures of self-control Wolff, Bieleke, Stähler, & Schüler, 2021) and their overlapping content domains in psychometric network analyses (Wolff, Bieleke, Englert, et al, 2021). In fact, SBPS scores and traditional measures of trait self-control have even been found to map onto adaptive (low SBPS, high self-control) and less adaptive (high SBPS, low self-control) latent personality profiles (Wolff, Bieleke, Stähler, & Schüler, 2021).…”

“…However, in daily life people might be restricted in the ways in which they can deal with boredom by external circumstances (e.g., in school most ways of dealing with boredom in class are maladaptive, such as daydreaming) and internal factors. Attesting to the latter, it is important to note that boredom proneness consistently displays strong negative associations with self-control (e.g., Wolff, Bieleke, Englert, et al, 2021), meaning that people who are prone to experience boredom are also likely to have poor self-control. In addition, theoretical work points towards an intrinsic link between the experience of boredom and the need to apply self-control in order to deal with being bored .…”