2023
DOI: 10.1177/17456916221146158
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The Willpower Paradox: Possible and Impossible Conceptions of Self-Control

Abstract: Self-control denotes the ability to override current desires to render behavior consistent with long-term goals. A key assumption is that self-control is required when short-term desires are transiently stronger (more preferred) than long-term goals and people would yield to temptation without exerting self-control. We argue that this widely shared conception of self-control raises a fundamental yet rarely discussed conceptual paradox: How is it possible that a person most strongly desires to perform a behavio… Show more

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Cited by 11 publications
(11 citation statements)
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“…Additional exploratory analyses have shown that trait impulsivity may constitute a predisposition that increases the proneness to commit daily SCFs, which has previously been shown to be a good predictor of addictive behavior in relation to alcohol use, tobacco use ( Granö et al, 2004 ) or gambling ( Dowling et al, 2017 ). However, as we had hypothesized on the basis of integrative models of self-control ( Kotabe and Hofmann, 2015 ; Milyavskaya et al, 2019 ; Inzlicht et al, 2021 ; Goschke and Job, 2023 ), the low correlation also indicates that SCFs are driven by additional mechanisms not directly related to trait impulsivity, as, for instance, dysfunctional performance monitoring ( Krönke et al, 2018 ; Overmeyer et al, 2021 ).…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 82%
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“…Additional exploratory analyses have shown that trait impulsivity may constitute a predisposition that increases the proneness to commit daily SCFs, which has previously been shown to be a good predictor of addictive behavior in relation to alcohol use, tobacco use ( Granö et al, 2004 ) or gambling ( Dowling et al, 2017 ). However, as we had hypothesized on the basis of integrative models of self-control ( Kotabe and Hofmann, 2015 ; Milyavskaya et al, 2019 ; Inzlicht et al, 2021 ; Goschke and Job, 2023 ), the low correlation also indicates that SCFs are driven by additional mechanisms not directly related to trait impulsivity, as, for instance, dysfunctional performance monitoring ( Krönke et al, 2018 ; Overmeyer et al, 2021 ).…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 82%
“…Researchers often equate low self-control with impulsivity because self-control involves the successful regulation of impulses ( de Ridder et al, 2012 ). Based on trait models of impulsivity and on integrative models of self-control ( Kotabe and Hofmann, 2015 ; Milyavskaya et al, 2019 ; Inzlicht et al, 2021 ; Goschke and Job, 2023 ), we assume that trait impulsivity is one of several factors that may predispose individuals toward an increased proneness to commit self-control failures. However, self-controlled behavior (or a lack thereof) depends on additional factors that are not covered by the term impulsivity in a narrow sense (e.g., whether individuals use precommitment strategies to avoid temptations; Crockett et al, 2013 ; Kotabe and Hofmann, 2015 ; Studer et al, 2019 ) or whether they develop beneficial habits ( Galla and Duckworth, 2015 ; Duckworth et al, 2018 ) may lead to far-sighted choices without requiring interventive self-control strategies and impulse control.…”
Section: Introductionmentioning
confidence: 99%
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“…This implicates that effortful inhibition of impulsive ‘want to’ response tendencies is required to resist the ubiquitous temptations of food, shopping, social media, and other vices (Akst, 2011). Whereas this view has dominated the field for decades, recent years have witnessed growing debate about self‐control (e.g., De Ridder & Gillebaart, 2017; Duckworth et al., 2016; Gillebaart & de Ridder, 2015; Goschke & Job, 2023; Kotabe & Hofmann, 2015; Milyavskaya et al., 2019). Propositions for novel conceptualizations differ in scope and direction but they share the idea that self‐control involves more than effortful inhibition of impulses and may be more effortless (Fujita, 2011; Gillebaart & de Ridder, 2015), preventive (rather than reactive; Hofmann & Kotabe, 2012) or strategic (Duckworth et al., 2016; Hennecke & Bürgler, 2020) than hitherto assumed.…”
Section: Introductionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Propositions for novel conceptualizations differ in scope and direction but they share the idea that self‐control involves more than effortful inhibition of impulses and may be more effortless (Fujita, 2011; Gillebaart & de Ridder, 2015), preventive (rather than reactive; Hofmann & Kotabe, 2012) or strategic (Duckworth et al., 2016; Hennecke & Bürgler, 2020) than hitherto assumed. Even the notion of conflict as the essential feature of self‐control with someone strongly wanting to do something and at the same time preventing herself from doing it has been contested (Goschke & Job, 2023). These novel insights are thought‐provoking because they suggest that there may be more to self‐control than just ‘regulating the self by the self’ (Baumeister & Vohs, 2004).…”
Section: Introductionmentioning
confidence: 99%