Self-control depletion is more than motivational switch from work to fun: the indispensable role of cognitive adaptation

Frontiers in Psychology

Junhua Dang¹ 

关键词: self-control;    resource depletion;    cognitive control;    switch costs;    adaptation;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00933

学科分类：心理学（综合）

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

It has been consistently demonstrated that people tend to perform more poorly on subsequent self-control tasks after completing an initial task that requires them to exert self-control (Hagger et al., 2010; Hagger and Chatzisarantis, 2014). The predominant explanation of such depletion effect claims that self-control taxes a limited resource that becomes drained with use (Muraven and Baumeister, 2000). Inzlicht and colleagues recently challenged the resource model by questioning the necessity and sufficiency of the resource metaphor for explaining self-control (Inzlicht et al., 2014). Instead, they presented a non-resource based process model. According to this model, self-control failure due to initial exertion is less about resource depletion but more about the motivated switching of task priorities from “have-to” and labor goals to “want-to” and leisure goals. We applaud such advance as the new account not only is evolutionarily and biologically more plausible but also can accommodate recent findings that are incompatible with the resource model (Inzlicht and Schmeichel, 2012; Inzlicht et al., 2014). However, we argue that the motivation-shift mechanism emphasized by the process model alone is not sufficient for explaining self-control depletion. A parallel cognitive adaptation mechanism must also be taken into account.

【 授权许可】

CC BY