Self-control duration and implicit willpower assumptions in the cognitive association between self-control and decreased vitality
Based on the schema model of self-control, recent research has shown that people cognitively associate self-control exertion with a subsequent decrease in perceived vitality. The present study aimed to replicate this effect and extend it by testing two additional hypotheses: greater exertion of self...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-09-01
|
| Series: | Acta Psychologica |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001691825007437 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849226984899477504 |
|---|---|
| author | Max Blaise Alex Bertrams |
| author_facet | Max Blaise Alex Bertrams |
| author_sort | Max Blaise |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Based on the schema model of self-control, recent research has shown that people cognitively associate self-control exertion with a subsequent decrease in perceived vitality. The present study aimed to replicate this effect and extend it by testing two additional hypotheses: greater exertion of self-control would be cognitively associated with a more pronounced decline in perceived vitality, and endorsement of a limited-resource theory would be negatively related to perceived subjective vitality in self-control situations. Participants (N = 143) read two vignettes describing a fictitious character who either exerted self-control (typing with an unfamiliar AZERTY keyboard) or did not (typing with a familiar QWERTZ keyboard). For each condition, participants rated how vital the individual would feel after 5 and 10 min. They also completed a standardized scale assessing their own implicit belief in limited versus non-limited willpower. As expected, perceived vitality was rated lower after 5 min of self-control exertion than after 10 min of no self-control (t(142) = −7.43, p < 0.001, dz = −0.62). Furthermore, the fictitious character was perceived as less vital after 10 min than after 5 min of self-control exertion (t(142) = −6.04, p < 0.001, dz = −0.51). Lastly, the more participants endorsed a limited-resource theory, the lower they rated the character's vitality following 10 min of self-control (r = −0.26, p = 0.002). Contrary to prediction, this association did not emerge in the 5-min condition (r = −0.16, p = 0.05). These findings are discussed in light of the schema model of self-control. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-11b8b2b9f0954f1d96a153a04dc0d80f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0001-6918 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-09-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Acta Psychologica |
| spelling | doaj-art-11b8b2b9f0954f1d96a153a04dc0d80f2025-08-24T05:11:10ZengElsevierActa Psychologica0001-69182025-09-0125910543010.1016/j.actpsy.2025.105430Self-control duration and implicit willpower assumptions in the cognitive association between self-control and decreased vitalityMax Blaise0Alex Bertrams1University of Bern, Switzerland; Corresponding author at: University of Bern, Institute of Educational Science, Division of Educational Psychology, Fabrikstrasse 8, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.University of Bern, SwitzerlandBased on the schema model of self-control, recent research has shown that people cognitively associate self-control exertion with a subsequent decrease in perceived vitality. The present study aimed to replicate this effect and extend it by testing two additional hypotheses: greater exertion of self-control would be cognitively associated with a more pronounced decline in perceived vitality, and endorsement of a limited-resource theory would be negatively related to perceived subjective vitality in self-control situations. Participants (N = 143) read two vignettes describing a fictitious character who either exerted self-control (typing with an unfamiliar AZERTY keyboard) or did not (typing with a familiar QWERTZ keyboard). For each condition, participants rated how vital the individual would feel after 5 and 10 min. They also completed a standardized scale assessing their own implicit belief in limited versus non-limited willpower. As expected, perceived vitality was rated lower after 5 min of self-control exertion than after 10 min of no self-control (t(142) = −7.43, p < 0.001, dz = −0.62). Furthermore, the fictitious character was perceived as less vital after 10 min than after 5 min of self-control exertion (t(142) = −6.04, p < 0.001, dz = −0.51). Lastly, the more participants endorsed a limited-resource theory, the lower they rated the character's vitality following 10 min of self-control (r = −0.26, p = 0.002). Contrary to prediction, this association did not emerge in the 5-min condition (r = −0.16, p = 0.05). These findings are discussed in light of the schema model of self-control.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001691825007437Ego depletionEffortEnergyImplicit theories about willpowerFatigueSchema activation |
| spellingShingle | Max Blaise Alex Bertrams Self-control duration and implicit willpower assumptions in the cognitive association between self-control and decreased vitality Acta Psychologica Ego depletion Effort Energy Implicit theories about willpower Fatigue Schema activation |
| title | Self-control duration and implicit willpower assumptions in the cognitive association between self-control and decreased vitality |
| title_full | Self-control duration and implicit willpower assumptions in the cognitive association between self-control and decreased vitality |
| title_fullStr | Self-control duration and implicit willpower assumptions in the cognitive association between self-control and decreased vitality |
| title_full_unstemmed | Self-control duration and implicit willpower assumptions in the cognitive association between self-control and decreased vitality |
| title_short | Self-control duration and implicit willpower assumptions in the cognitive association between self-control and decreased vitality |
| title_sort | self control duration and implicit willpower assumptions in the cognitive association between self control and decreased vitality |
| topic | Ego depletion Effort Energy Implicit theories about willpower Fatigue Schema activation |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001691825007437 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT maxblaise selfcontroldurationandimplicitwillpowerassumptionsinthecognitiveassociationbetweenselfcontrolanddecreasedvitality AT alexbertrams selfcontroldurationandimplicitwillpowerassumptionsinthecognitiveassociationbetweenselfcontrolanddecreasedvitality |