Do we fail to exert self‐control because we lack resources or motivation? Competing theories to explain a debated phenomenon

Abstract

Exerting effort in a first task can impair self-control performance in a subsequent task. Hundreds of studies have examined this ego depletion effect, but the underlying mechanisms are still unknown. By contrasting the two most prominent models, the strength model and the process model, the following question takes centre stage: Do participants fail to exert self-control because they run short of an unspecified resource or because they lack the motivation to engage in the subsequent task? We contrasted competing predictions (N = 560) from these two models by manipulating monetary incentives to be donated to charity in the first of two tasks. We found evidence of the standard ego depletion effectself-control performance was impaired after a high-versus a low-demand task in the no-incentive conditions. Incentives had an unexpected effect: Whereas participants in the incentive conditions showed higher intrinsic, autonomous motivation, they did not exert greater effort. This unexpected finding limited the applicability of our registered predictions; thus, we opted to test updated predictions. We discuss the theoretical implications of our understanding of the processes underlying ego depletion effects and their meaning for the ongoing debate about replicability and robustness.

Automation or autonomy? The relatedness of online vigilance, self-control and intrinsic need satisfaction to compulsive Internet use

“…Friese, Loschelder, Gieseler, Frankenbach and Inzlicht (2019) investigated the highly debated question whether ego depletion is real or not in a literature review and concluded that the available evidence is inconclusive and that more empirical research as well as more theoretical works are needed. Both Gieseler, Loschelder, Job and Friese (2021) as well as Troll, Friese and Loschelder (2023) recently showcased in empirical research that ego depletion effects are in fact not caused by a lack of motivation, but rather by the depletion of mental and volitional resources as proposed by the strength model of self-control. Baumeister (2019) argues that ego depletion is indeed a very real phenomenon and that many of the null findings in prior studies likely resulted from inefficient manipulation of the independent variable or insufficient operationalisation of the core constructs.…”

Bullying begets bullying: A contagion model of bullying in Chinese adolescents

“…The Strength Model of Self‐control also suggests that trait self‐control may be an important moderator of the ego‐depletion effect in adolescents (Baumeister et al, 2018; De Ridder et al, 2012; Troll et al, 2023). For instance, Wills et al (2011) have demonstrated that trait self‐control plays a moderating role in the contagion of drinking behaviors in adolescents and the relationship between peer drinking and instigated episodic drinking is lower in individuals with high trait self‐control.…”

“…Bullying participants need to appraise the situation in which bullying occurs and its relevance and potential impact, and then select the most appropriate response among multiple possible choices (Rosen et al, 2016). In this case, a large amount of attentional and cognitive resources would be allocated to appraise the situation, suppress unwanted thoughts, and formulate appropriate responses (Balan et al, 2022; Falla et al, 2022), leading to ego depletion and therefore leaving less self‐control resources for subsequent behaviors (Troll et al, 2023). The bullying episode would be more depleting when the bully is a friend of the participant because of the conflict between peer pressure and social norms (Prinstein & Giletta, 2021).…”

“…Given the protective effects of trait self‐control in ego‐depleting situations (Baumeister et al, 2018; Troll et al, 2023), it is expected that trait self‐control can be an important moderator in the contagion of bullying in adolescents. First, high trait self‐control may make adolescents less susceptible to ego depletion in the situation of peer bullying.…”