Self-Control Dynamics in Daily Life: The Importance of Variability Between Self-Regulatory Strategies and Strategy Differentiation

2021 ◽  
pp. 089020702110430
Author(s):  
Mario Wenzel ◽  
Sebastian Bürgler ◽  
Zarah Rowland ◽  
Marie Hennecke
Keyword(s):  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Strategy Use ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Regulatory Strategies ◽  
Regulatory Strategy ◽  
Control Research ◽  
Process Perspective ◽  
Situational Demands ◽  
Intensity Instability

Research on self-control has increasingly acknowledged the importance of self-regulatory strategies, with strategies in earlier stages of the developing tempting impulse thought to be more effective than strategies in later stages. However, recent research on emotion regulation has moved away from assuming that some strategies are per se and across situations more adaptive than others. Instead, strategy use that is variable to fit situational demands is considered more adaptive. In the present research, we transfer this dynamic process perspective to self-regulatory strategies in the context of persistence conflicts. We investigated eight indicators of strategy use (i.e., strategy intensity, instability, inertia, predictability, differentiation, diversity, and within- and between-strategy variability) in an experience sampling study ( N = 264 participants with 1,923 observations). We found that variability between strategies was significantly associated with self-regulatory success above and beyond mean levels of self-regulatory strategy use. Moreover, the association between trait self-control on one hand and everyday self-regulatory success and affective well-being on the other hand was partially mediated by between-strategy variability. Our results do not only show the benefits of variable strategy use for individual’s self-regulatory success but also the benefits of more strongly connecting the fields of emotion regulation and self-control research.

scholarly journals Many roads lead to Rome: Self-regulatory strategies and their effects on self-control

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie Hennecke ◽  
Sebastian Bürgler
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Strategy Use ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Daily Lives ◽  
Regulatory Strategies ◽  
Regulatory Strategy ◽  
Regulatory Flexibility ◽  
Watching Tv

In a self-control conflict, people face a dilemma between a current goal (e.g., to exercise regularly) and competing impulses, habits, or desires (e.g., to stay on the couch and continue watching TV). To resolve such conflicts in favor of their goals, individuals may capitalize on a variety of self-regulatory strategies. In this article, we review recent research on the self-regulatory strategies people use in their daily lives, research on the effectiveness of these strategies, and research on the consequences of self-regulatory strategy use on well-being. We furthermore take both an individual-differences and a situational perspective by linking strategy use to individual differences between people (e.g., in self-control) and by emphasizing that strategy effectiveness likely depends on situational context (e.g., on current demands). Lastly, we introduce ideas and potential future research questions revolving around the role of individual differences in regulatory flexibility (including context sensitivity) for determining a person´s self-regulatory success.

scholarly journals Doing Despite Disliking: Self-Regulatory Strategies in Everyday Aversive Activities

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie Hennecke ◽  
Thomas Czikmantori ◽  
Veronika Brandstätter
Keyword(s):  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Strategy Use ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Comprehensive Understanding ◽  
Pilot Studies ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Regulatory Strategies ◽  
Self Reports

We investigated the self-regulatory strategies people spontaneously use in their everyday lives to regulate their persistence during aversive activities. In pilot studies (pooled N = 794), we identified self-regulatory strategies from self-reports and generated hypotheses about individual differences in trait self-control predicting their use. Next, deploying ambulatory assessment (N = 264, 1940 reports of aversive/challenging activities), we investigated predictors of the strategies’ self-reported use and effectiveness (trait self-control, demand types). The popularity of strategies varied across demands. In addition, people higher in trait self-control were more likely to focus on the positive consequences of a given activity, set goals, and use emotion regulation. Focusing on positive consequences, focusing on negative consequences (of not performing the activity), thinking of the near finish, and emotion regulation increased perceived self-regulatory success across demands, whereas distracting oneself from the aversive activity decreased it. None of these strategies, however, accounted for the beneficial effects of trait self-control on perceived self-regulatory success. Hence, trait self-control and strategy use appear to represent separate routes to good self-regulation. By considering trait- and process-approaches, these findings promote a more comprehensive understanding of self-regulatory success and failure during people’s daily attempts to regulate their persistence.

scholarly journals Doing despite Disliking: Self–Regulatory Strategies in Everyday Aversive Activities

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 104-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie Hennecke ◽  
Thomas Czikmantori ◽  
Veronika Brandstätter
Keyword(s):  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Comprehensive Understanding ◽  
Pilot Studies ◽  
Personality Psychology ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Regulatory Strategies ◽  
Self Reports

We investigated the self–regulatory strategies people spontaneously use in their everyday lives to regulate their persistence during aversive activities. In pilot studies (pooled N = 794), we identified self–regulatory strategies from self–reports and generated hypotheses about individual differences in trait self–control predicting their use. Next, deploying ambulatory assessment ( N = 264, 1940 reports of aversive/challenging activities), we investigated predictors of the strategies’ self–reported use and effectiveness (trait self–control and demand types). The popularity of strategies varied across demands. In addition, people higher in trait self–control were more likely to focus on the positive consequences of a given activity, set goals, and use emotion regulation. Focusing on positive consequences, focusing on negative consequences (of not performing the activity), thinking of the near finish, and emotion regulation increased perceived self–regulatory success across demands, whereas distracting oneself from the aversive activity decreased it. None of these strategies, however, accounted for the beneficial effects of trait self–control on perceived self–regulatory success. Hence, trait self–control and strategy use appear to represent separate routes to good self–regulation. By considering trait– and process–approaches these findings promote a more comprehensive understanding of self–regulatory success and failure during people's daily attempts to regulate their persistence. © 2018 European Association of Personality Psychology

Associations Between Romantic Relationship Attachment and Health Among Young Adults: The Mediating Role of Sleep and Emotion Regulation

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dilbur D. Arsiwalla
Keyword(s):  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Attachment Styles ◽  
Romantic Relationship ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Sleep Patterns ◽  
Regulatory Factors ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Regulatory Strategies ◽  
Relationship Attachment

Close relationships play a crucial role in physical and psychological well-being. However, the mechanisms through which relationship factors may enable individuals to maintain overall health have not been widely explored. The primary objective of this study was to examine the mediating role of emotion regulation and sleep in the link between romantic relationship attachment and health. Additionally, differences in sleep patterns and emotion regulation across romantic relationship attachment styles were explored. The survey inquired about the quality and quantity of sleep, attachment quality, emotion regulatory factors, and overall health. The participants included 172 undergraduate students (17–30 years) at a midwestern U.S. university. Romantic relationship attachment security was associated with better sleep, better emotion regulatory strategies, and health. Sleep and emotion regulatory strategies mediated the association between attachment and sleep patterns in a three-path mediation. Findings show greater disruptions in sleep patterns and emotion regulatory factors across attachment styles (i.e., secure, preoccupied, dismissive, and fearful attachment). The findings have implications for sleep disorder intervention programs that emphasise better emotion regulatory strategies and promote healthy relationship patterns.

Self-control training increases emotional well-being through improved use of emotion regulation strategies

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleanor Miles ◽  
Paschal Sheeran ◽  
Ian MacDonald ◽  
Harriet Baird ◽  
Thomas L. Webb ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Emotion Regulation Strategies ◽  
Regulation Strategies

scholarly journals Age and Context Effects in Daily Emotion Regulation and Well-Being at Work

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susanne Scheibe ◽  
Darya Moghimi
Keyword(s):  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Indirect Effects ◽  
Older Workers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Strategy Use ◽  
Emotion Regulation Strategies ◽  
Negative Work ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Regulation Strategies ◽  
Work Events

Abstract With aging, emotion regulation competence is thought to improve, which benefits occupational well-being. Past research on aging and emotion regulation at work has mainly focused on one-time measurements of habitual strategy use. Yet, emotion regulation is a response to changing situational requirements. Using an event-based daily diary approach, we examined whether age moderates the extent to which three characteristics of negative work events (intensity, controllability, and interpersonal nature) predict the adoption of four emotion-regulation strategies (positive reappraisal, distraction, emotion acceptance, and expressive suppression) and subsequent well-being outcomes (job satisfaction and fatigue). Employees (N = 199) aged between 18 and 62 years and of diverse occupational backgrounds reported 1,321 daily negative work events and their emotion-regulatory responses. Results suggest that the emotion-regulation strategies that employees spontaneously use are a function of the intensity and interpersonal nature of events (less so of controllability) and that event characteristics have indirect effects on daily well-being through acceptance and suppression. Younger and older workers responded overall similarly to variations in event characteristics. However, we found age differences in the relationship between event intensity and strategy use. Contrary to predictions of stronger tailoring of strategies to context with age, older workers were more stable in strategy use at higher levels of event intensity, increasing less in suppression and decreasing less in acceptance. Indirect effects of event intensity on well-being point at the adaptive nature of these age-related shifts in strategy use. Findings shed light on adaptive emotion-regulation in daily work life and the role of employee age.

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