Abstract
Self-control involves the ability to control immediate impulses and desires. According to the ego depletion model, self-control is a limited resource. Many studies have found that participants who perform a selfcontrol task show impaired performance on subsequent executive control tasks, such as those measuring working memory and attention. In this study, we hypothesized that individuals who perform a self-control task would subsequently demonstrate poorer inhibitory control as measured in a Stroop and stop signal task. Participants were first given instructions to list their daily activities for five minutes as they either attempted to not think about a white bear (self-control condition) or to think about a white bear (control condition). Then they engaged in either the Stroop task or the stop signal task, which were counterbalanced across participants. The Stroop task consists of naming the ink color of a word, while disregarding the word’s meaning. This test measures attention and inhibitory control. The stop signal task requires participants to respond to stimuli (a box or a circle) unless interrupted by an external stimulus (such as a “beep”). This task measures inhibitory control. We found that inhibitory control was affected by the self-control task. This suggests that individuals wishing to partake in activities requiring the use of self-control (such as dieting, exercising, and quitting smoking) should do so gradually rather than abruptly.
Faculty Sponsors
Leanne Boucher, Ph.D., W. Matthew Collins, Ph.D.
Project Type
Event
Location
Alvin Sherman Library
Start Date
4-10-2015 1:00 PM
End Date
4-10-2015 5:30 PM
Don't Think It, Don't Do It: Controlling Executive Control
Alvin Sherman Library
Self-control involves the ability to control immediate impulses and desires. According to the ego depletion model, self-control is a limited resource. Many studies have found that participants who perform a selfcontrol task show impaired performance on subsequent executive control tasks, such as those measuring working memory and attention. In this study, we hypothesized that individuals who perform a self-control task would subsequently demonstrate poorer inhibitory control as measured in a Stroop and stop signal task. Participants were first given instructions to list their daily activities for five minutes as they either attempted to not think about a white bear (self-control condition) or to think about a white bear (control condition). Then they engaged in either the Stroop task or the stop signal task, which were counterbalanced across participants. The Stroop task consists of naming the ink color of a word, while disregarding the word’s meaning. This test measures attention and inhibitory control. The stop signal task requires participants to respond to stimuli (a box or a circle) unless interrupted by an external stimulus (such as a “beep”). This task measures inhibitory control. We found that inhibitory control was affected by the self-control task. This suggests that individuals wishing to partake in activities requiring the use of self-control (such as dieting, exercising, and quitting smoking) should do so gradually rather than abruptly.
