Self-control: Beyond commitment

1995 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 109-121 ◽  
Author(s):  
Howard Rachlin
Keyword(s):  
Behavioral Pattern ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
The Self ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Future Time ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Target Article ◽  
Adult Humans ◽  
Abstract Class

AbstractSelf-control, so important in the theory and practice of psychology, has usually been understood introspectively. This target article adopts a behavioral view of the self (as an abstract class of behavioral actions) and of self-control (as an abstract behavioral pattern dominating a particular act) according to which the development of self-control is a molar/molecular conflict in the development of behavioral patterns. This subsumes the more typical view of self-control as a now/later conflict in which an act of self-control is a choice of a larger but later reinforcer over a smaller but sooner reinforcer. If at some future time the smaller-sooner reinforcer will be more valuable than the larger-later reinforcer, self-control may be achieved through a commitment to the largerlater reinforcer prior to that point. According to some, there is a progressive internalization of commitment in the development of self-control. This presents theoretical and empirical problems. In two experiments – one with pigeons choosing between smallersooner and larger-later reinforcers, the other with adult humans choosing between short-term particular and long-term abstract reinforcers – temporal patterning of choices increased self-control.

The Self

Brain-Mind ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 252-276
Author(s):  
Paul Thagard
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Mental Representations ◽  
The Self ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Social Mechanisms ◽  
Short Term ◽  
The Social ◽  
Multiple Levels

The self is a complex of mechanisms at multiple levels that include the molecular and the social. Semantic pointers are crucial to the self with respect to various phenomena, including how one represents oneself to oneself and to others, as well as in how one evaluates oneself. Also explained are operations that the self does to itself in efforts to achieve short-term goals such as self-control and long-term goals such as self-fulfillment. Semantic pointer explanations of images, concepts, and other mental representations are important for understanding how selves accomplish their goals. Representations of the self via semantic pointers can recursively be bound into semantic pointers for beliefs, desires, and intentions. Discussion of the social mechanisms relevant to the self begins to connect neural and mental mechanisms with discussions of social sciences and professions.

scholarly journals Moral disciplining: the cognitive and evolutionary foundations of puritanical morality

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Léo Fitouchi ◽  
Jean-Baptiste André ◽  
Nicolas Baumard
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Evolution ◽  
Free Riding ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
The Self ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Moral Intuitions ◽  
Moral Virtues ◽  
Cultural Variations

Why do many human societies condemn apparently harmless and pleasurable behaviors, such as lust, gluttony, drinking, drugs, gambling, or even music and dance? Why do they erect temperance, hedonic restraint, sobriety, decency and piety as cardinal moral virtues? While existing accounts consider this puritanical morality as an exception to the cooperative function of moral intuitions, we propose that it stems, like other moral concerns, from moral intuitions targeting cooperative challenges. Specifically, we argue that it emerges in response to a key feature of cooperation, namely that the latter is (ultimately) a long-term strategy, requiring (proximately) the self-control of appetites for immediate gratification. Puritanical moralizations condemn and praise behaviors which, although not intrinsically cooperative or uncooperative, are perceived as affecting people’s propensity to cooperate, by modifying their ability to resist short-term impulses conflicting with cooperative motivations. Drinking, drugs, unruly feasts, dances, and immodest clothing are condemned as stimulating people’s short-term impulses, thus facilitating uncooperative behaviors (e.g. adultery, violence, economic free-riding). Immoderate indulgence in harmless bodily pleasures (e.g. lust, masturbation, gluttony) is perceived as addictively reinforcing short-term impulses, thus making harder the self-control of future temptations to cheat. Moralizations of ascetic temperance, daily self-discipline, and pious ritual observance are perceived as nurturing the self-restraint consubstantial to a cooperative character, able to resist selfish temptations when the latter arise. We review psychological, historical, and ethnographic evidence supporting this account, and discuss its implications regarding the cross-cultural variations and cultural evolution of puritanical norms.

scholarly journals Power and Persuasion: Processes by Which Perceived Power Can Influence Evaluative Judgments

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 223-241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pablo Briñol ◽  
Richard E. Petty ◽  
Geoffrey R. O. Durso ◽  
Derek D. Rucker
Keyword(s):  
The Self ◽  
Present Review ◽  
Psychological Processes ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Evaluative Judgments ◽  
Long Term Consequences ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Structured Approach ◽  
Perceived Power

The present review focuses on how power—as a perception regarding the self, the source of the message, or the message itself—affects persuasion. Contemporary findings suggest that perceived power can increase or decrease persuasion depending on the circumstances and thus might result in both short-term and long-term consequences for behavior. Given that perceptions of power can produce different, and even opposite, effects on persuasion, it might seem that any relationship is possible and thus prediction is elusive or impossible. In contrast, the present review provides a unified perspective to understand and organize the psychological literature on the relationship between perceived power and persuasion. To accomplish this objective, present review identifies distinct mechanisms by which perceptions of power can influence persuasion and discusses when these mechanisms are likely to operate. In doing so, this article provides a structured approach for studying power and persuasion via antecedents, consequences, underlying psychological processes, and moderators. Finally, the article also discusses how power can affect evaluative judgments more broadly.

Intertemporal bargaining predicts moral behavior, even in anonymous, one-shot economic games

2013 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 78-79
Author(s):  
George Ainslie
Keyword(s):  
Control Problem ◽  
Prisoner’S Dilemma ◽  
Moral Behavior ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Test Case ◽  
Effective Solution ◽  
Moral Choice ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Economic Games

AbstractTo the extent that acting fairly is in an individual's long-term interest, short-term impulses to cheat present a self-control problem. The only effective solution is to interpret the problem as a variant of repeated prisoner's dilemma, with each choice as a test case predicting future choices. Moral choice appears to be the product of a contract because it comes from self-enforcing intertemporal cooperation.

scholarly journals Modeling sensitivity indices of industrial enterprise organizational change

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (45) ◽  
pp. 230-241
Author(s):  
Victoriia Bilyk ◽  
Olena Kolomytseva ◽  
Olha Myshkovych ◽  
Nataliia Tymoshyk ◽  
Denis Shcherbatykh
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Change ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Organizational Changes ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Industrial Enterprises ◽  
Sensitivity Indices ◽  
Proposed Model ◽  
Development Effectiveness ◽  
Made In

Evaluation of sensitivity of commercial enterprises to organizational changes should be made in terms of short-term planning for which it is important to ensure the financial results, as well as in terms of long-term planning, which is important for non-monetary indicators of development effectiveness. To solve this problem, the paper is designed model sensitivity Descriptive indicators of industrial enterprises to organizational changes, reflecting monetary and non-monetary effects of organizational change. The authors determined that the proposed model allows for the analysis of organizational change with regard to their impact on monetary and non-monetary efficiency. This paper contributes to the theory and practice at the border to ensure a balance between short-term and long-term development of industrial enterprises. Convincingly demonstrated the possibility of using research results in practice.

scholarly journals Real-world comparison of the last generation balloon-expandable and self-expanding valves in patients undergoing TAVI

2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
K Kalogeras ◽  
M Zuhair ◽  
T Kabir ◽  
R Jabbour ◽  
M Dalby ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Real World ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Vascular Complications ◽  
The Self ◽  
Lv Function ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Term Outcome ◽  
Funding Sources ◽  
Transcatheter Aortic Valve

Abstract Background/Introduction The balloon expandable (BE) Edwards Sapien-S3/Ultra, and the self-expanding (SE) Medtronic Evolut-Pro represent the main volume of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) procedures conducted worldwide. Purpose The present study represents the largest real-world comparison of periprocedural and short-term outcome between the aforementioned last generation devices. Methods Consecutive patients who had undergone TAVI with either the BE (S3/Ultra) or SE (Evolut-Pro/R-34mm if 34mm valve was required) device, in five centers were retrospectively studied. Periprocedural and short-term outcomes were recorded and compared. Results In total, 1341 patients (58.5% male) were treated with contemporary BE and SE valves (574 and 767pts with BE and SE respectively) and followed up for a median of 18.7 (IQR 30) months. Baseline demographics were similar between the two groups apart from severe left ventricle (LV) systolic impairment and extensive aorta calcification, being more prevalent amongst BE and SE groups respectively. Patients treated with the Evolut-Pro/R34mm device had significantly lower peak (16±9mmHg for SE vs 23.9±6mmHg for the BE valves, p=0.001) and mean (8.6±6mmHg SE vs 11.2±5.2mmHg BE, p=0.001) gradients at discharge. Conversely, the BE group demonstrated significantly lower rates of at least moderate residual aortic regurgitation (AR) post-operatively (0.7% vs 5.2% for BE and SE valves respectively, p<0.001). Interestingly, the rate of new permanent pacemaker (PPM) required after the implantation in initially pacemaker-free patients, was higher for the S3/Ultra cohort compared to the self-expanding valve group (14.4% vs 12.3% respectively, p=0.001). No statistical difference was recorded between valve groups regarding cerebrovascular events (3.4% vs. 2.7% for SE and BE respectively, p=0.466), major vascular complications (4.2% vs. 3.0% for SE and BE respectively, p=0.251) and death to hospital discharge (1.6% vs. 2.9% for SE and BE respectively, p=0.117). One-year Kaplan-Meier estimated survival was similar between the two groups (88.7% for BE vs. 91.4% for SE valves, plog-rank=0.093). When adjusting for age, extensive calcification of the aorta and baseline LV function all caused mortality hazard ratios were similar between patients treated with BE vs SE valves (HR 1.39; 95% CI 0.97 to 1.98, p=0.07). Conclusions Real life comparison of the last generation balloon expandable and self-expanding devices demonstrates superiority of the former in terms of residual PVL, at the expense of higher transvalvular gradients and higher need of new PPM implantation. The latter however may represent differences in center practices with regards to thresholds for permanent pacing. Long-term follow-up and future larger trials are required to establish any potential long-term difference in clinical outcomes and prognosis. FUNDunding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None.

SMEs’ resilience from continuous improvement lenses

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Saad Zighan ◽  
Salomée Ruel
Keyword(s):  
Continuous Improvement ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Organizational Resilience ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cyclical Process ◽  
Business Philosophy

Purpose The business environment is increasingly volatile, complex, uncertain and ambiguous. Today, COVID-19 represents a super-disruption situation. This paper aims to explore small and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs’) resilience from continuous improvement lenses. It explores the role of continuous improvement in building organizational resilience across SMEs. Design/methodology/approach A Delphi methodology has been adopted to capture evidence and opinions from 38 experts from several Jordan-based SMEs through three-online rounds. Findings The study finds that continuous improvement enhances SMEs’ resilience in the short term and long term. It can translate the concept of resilience into tangible working constructs for SMEs in visualizing and making decisions about their risks, adapting, absorbing changes and prevailing over time. The role of continuous improvement in building organizational resilience is fourfold; continuous improvement is a cyclical process; it has a vital cultural aspect and can be considered a business philosophy. It also emphasizes a holistic change approach based on small but constant changes. However, SMEs’ leaders must consider several issues for effective continuous improvement, including a continuous improvement culture and a results-focused approach. Originality/value Organizational resilience has been studied across various contexts; however, there are still unanswered questions for SMEs’ resilience. This study contributes to theory and practice by examining the role of continuous improvement in SMEs’ resilience.

Working memory: Unemployed but still doing day labor

2003 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 760-769
Author(s):  
Daniel S. Ruchkin ◽  
Jordan Grafman ◽  
Katherine Cameron ◽  
Rita S. Berndt
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Neural Circuits ◽  
Short Term Memory ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Long Term Memory ◽  
Memory Retention ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Term Memory ◽  
Target Article

The goal of our target article is to establish that electrophysiological data constrain models of short-term memory retention operations to schemes in which activated long-term memory is its representational basis. The temporary stores correspond to neural circuits involved in the perception and subsequent processing of the relevant information, and do not involve specialized neural circuits dedicated to the temporary holding of information outside of those embedded in long-term memory. The commentaries ranged from general agreement with the view that short-term memory stores correspond to activated long-term memory (e.g., Abry, Sato, Schwartz, Loevenbruck & Cathiard [Abry etal.], Cowan, Fuster, Grote, Hickok & Buchsbaum, Keenan, Hyönä & Kaakinen [Keenan et al.], Martin, Morra), to taking a definite exception to this view (e.g., Baddeley, Düzel, Logie & Della Sala, Kroger, Majerus, Van der Linden, Colette & Salmon [Majerus et al.], Vallar).

scholarly journals Impulsivity and the Self-Defeating Behavior of Narcissists

2006 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 154-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simine Vazire ◽  
David C. Funder
Keyword(s):  
Positive Relationship ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
The Self ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Long Term Outcomes ◽  
Parsimonious Explanation ◽  
Strong Positive Relationship ◽  
Affective Processes ◽  
The Status

Currently prominent models of narcissism (e.g., Morf & Rhodewalt, 2001) primarily explain narcissists' self-defeating behaviors in terms of conscious cognitive and affective processes. We propose that the disposition of impulsivity may also play an important role. We offer 2 forms of evidence. First, we present a meta-analysis demonstrating a strong positive relationship between narcissism and impulsivity. Second, we review and reinterpret the literature on 3 hallmarks of narcissism: self-enhancement, aggression, and negative long-term outcomes. Our reinterpretation argues that impulsivity provides a more parsimonious explanation for at least some of narcissists' self-defeating behavior than do existing models. These 2 sources of evidence suggest that narcissists' quest for the status and recognition they so intensely desire is thwarted, in part, by their lack of the self-control necessary to achieve those goals.

Potential Functional and Dysfunctional Effects of Continuous Monitoring (Retracted)

2008 ◽  
Vol 83 (6) ◽  
pp. 1551-1569 ◽  
Author(s):  
James E. Hunton ◽  
Elaine G. Mauldin ◽  
Patrick R. Wheeler
Keyword(s):  
Internal Control ◽  
Continuous Monitoring ◽  
Internal Audit ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Corporate Managers ◽  
Managerial Decisions ◽  
Monitoring Frequency ◽  
Research Findings

ABSTRACT: The trend toward continuous monitoring of automated business transactions by the internal audit function is growing as organizations seek to improve internal control. In this study, we demonstrate that continuous monitoring and the time horizon over which performance-contingent incentives are based can interact, thereby yielding potential functional and dysfunctional effects on managerial decisions. Seventy-two experienced corporate managers completed a between-participants experiment that randomized monitoring frequency (periodic or continuous) and incentive horizon (short-term or long-term). We found that earnings management of real activities significantly decreased as the frequency of monitoring increased in the presence of a short-term incentive horizon—a functional effect. However, with a long-term incentive horizon, the participants’ willingness to change the current level of investment in a risky but viable project significantly dropped as the frequency of monitoring increased, even though additional investment would enhance the likelihood of the project’s eventual success—a dysfunctional effect. We also observed that more frequent monitoring significantly decreased the willingness of managers to continue with a risky but viable project regardless of incentive horizon and the effect was significantly pronounced in the presence of a short-term, relative to long-term, incentive horizon—another dysfunctional consequence. Implications of the research findings to theory and practice are discussed.

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