Self-Control, Ego Depletion, and Social Psychology’s Replication Crisis

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roy Baumeister
Keyword(s):  
Ego Depletion ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Replication Crisis

Provides Baumeister's perspective on ego depletion and its status in the context of psychology's replication crisis. Reviews history, controversy, evidence.

scholarly journals Ego depletion: A review of criticisms along with new perspectives for the replicable investigation of self-control fatigue as a multicomponent phenomenon

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cyril Forestier ◽  
Margaux de Chanaleilles ◽  
Matthieu P Boisgontier ◽  
Aïna Chalabaev
Keyword(s):  
Ego Depletion ◽  
Mental Fatigue ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Theoretical Level ◽  
Psychological Phenomena ◽  
Replication Crisis ◽  
Crisis In Psychology ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Multicomponent Nature ◽  
Experimental Level

The replication crisis in psychology has led to question popular psychological phenomena such as ego depletion, which has been criticized after studies failed to replicate. Here, we describe limitations in the literature that contributed to these failures and suggest how they may be addressed. At the theoretical level, the literature focuses on two out of at least eight identified auxiliary hypotheses. Thus, the majority of the hypotheses related to the three core assumptions of the ego-depletion theory have been overlooked, thereby preventing the rejection of the theory as a whole. At the experimental level, we argue that the low replicability of ego-depletion studies could be explained by the absence of a comprehensive, integrative, and falsifiable definition of self-control, which is central to the concept of ego depletion; by an unclear or absent distinction between ego depletion and mental fatigue, two phenomena that rely on different processes; and by the low validity of the tasks used to induce ego depletion. Finally, we make conceptual and practical suggestions for a more rigorous investigation of ego depletion, discuss the necessity to take into account its dynamic and multicomponent nature, and suggest using the term self-control fatigue instead.

scholarly journals The Past, Present, and Future of Ego Depletion

2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 370-378 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Inzlicht ◽  
Malte Friese
Keyword(s):  
Social Psychology ◽  
Ego Depletion ◽  
Open Science ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Science Practices ◽  
Current State ◽  
Replication Crisis ◽  
History Of ◽  
Controversial Topic ◽  
Mere Existence

Abstract. At the center of social psychology just a few years ago, ego depletion is now widely seen as a controversial topic, one of the chief victims of the replication crisis. Despite over 600 studies of apparent support, many are now asking if ego depletion is even real. Here, we comment on the articles included in this Special Issue: Ego Depletion and Self-Control: Conceptual and Empirical Advances. Specifically, we delineate the contributions and limitations of these articles by embedding them in a brief history of ego depletion, describing the current state of uncertainty about ego depletion’s scientific status, and outlining necessary steps for the study of ego depletion to have a healthy future. To us, the most troubling aspect of this controversy is not what it suggests about ego depletion, but what it suggests about social psychology more broadly. If the mere existence of ego depletion is seriously doubted by many, what can be confidently regarded as real in social psychology? By increasing the precision of our theories, continuously validating our manipulations and measures, and practicing the full suite of open science practices, we have the potential to identify legitimate and robust effects and build a cumulative and trustworthy psychological science.

scholarly journals Can we catch flies with vinegar? Recurrent issues in ego-depletion studies, and potential solutions

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cyril Forestier ◽  
Aïna Chalabaev
Keyword(s):  
Conflict Resolution ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Ego Depletion ◽  
Mental Fatigue ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Psychological Phenomena ◽  
Replication Crisis ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The Way

Psychology suffers from the so-called “replication crisis”, which has led to question many popular psychological phenomena. Ego-depletion is among the most criticized ones, especially since attempts to improve its replicability have failed. We argue though that many replication attempts are based on inaccurate conceptions of ego-depletion. More precisely, we suggest that failures to replicate ego depletion may be due to four common issues and limits. Firstly, we discuss the regular absence of a comprehensive and integrative definition of self-control, as a set of strategies of conflict resolution, which is central to the concept of ego-depletion. Secondly, we debate the lack of distinction between ego-depletion and mental fatigue, two phenomena that induce a decrease in cognitive performance but that do not rely on the same processes. Thirdly, we argue that the tasks chosen to induce ego depletion are often inappropriate. Finally, we argue in favor of more complex and extensive approaches to investigate ego-depletion. We propose some conceptual clarifications and pave the way for studies that adopt more rigorous methodologies.

Ego Depletion

2019 ◽  
pp. 111-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Muraven ◽  
Jacek Buczny ◽  
Kyle F. Law
Keyword(s):  
Limited Resource ◽  
Ego Depletion ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Negative Outcomes ◽  
Ego Strength ◽  
Loss Of Self ◽  
Comprehensive Theory ◽  
Depletion Effect

Self-control all too often fails. Despite people’s best intentions and considerable negative outcomes, people often find themselves at the losing end of resisting temptation, combating urges, and changing their behavior. One reason for these failures may be that exerting self-control depletes a limited resource (ego depletion) that is necessary for the success of self-control. Hence, after exerting self-control, individuals are less able resist temptations, fight urges, or stop a behavior that results in a loss of self-control. This chapter reviews the evidence for this theory in a wide variety of domains and examines what behaviors appear to deplete ego strength and how depletion affects behavior. A comprehensive theory that examines how depletion operates is put forth and used to examine some factors that might moderate the depletion effect.

scholarly journals Emotional, Cognitive and Self-Enhancement Processes in Aggressive Behavior After Interpersonal Rejection and Exclusion

2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 707-721 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanna Rajchert
Keyword(s):  
Aggressive Behavior ◽  
Ego Depletion ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Strength Model ◽  
Displaced Aggression ◽  
Cognitive Readiness ◽  
Interpersonal Rejection ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Exclusion Effect

The relationship between exclusion or rejection and aggression is already well documented, but there is still a debate about the mechanisms that underlie this effect. In two studies we focused on the propensity to react aggressively (readiness for aggression) on the bases of emotional, cognitive or self-enhancement (personality-immanent) processes. In both studies we first measured readiness for aggression and then ego-depleted participants. Next, in Study 1 we excluded participants (n = 96) using an online ball throwing game and measured displaced aggressive behavior - intensity and duration of an unpleasant noise administrated to a stranger. In Study 2 participants (n = 140) were rejected by a peer on the basis of an interview that they gave and then could retaliate by reducing peer's chance for getting a job. The results show that exclusion effect on displaced aggression was moderated by cognitive readiness for aggression, while rejection effect on retaliatory aggression was shaped by emotional and personality-immanent readiness for aggression as well as ego-depletion. The results were discussed in light of the strength model of self-control by Baumeister, Vohs, and Tice (2007).

scholarly journals Effects of Self-Control on Subjective Well-Being: Examining the Moderating Role of Trait and State Motivation

2022 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guojun Zhao ◽  
Fusen Xie ◽  
Yuchen Luo ◽  
Yixuan Liu ◽  
Yuan Chong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Ego Depletion ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
State Motivation ◽  
Positive Effect ◽  
Moderating Role

It is well documented that self-control has a positive effect on individuals’ subjective well-being. However, little research has focused on the moderators underlying this relationship. The present research used two studies to examine the moderating role of both trait and state motivation on the relationship between self-control and subjective well-being using psychometric and experimental models, respectively. In Study 1, we explored whether trait motivation (including promotion vs. prevention motivation) moderated the relationship between trait self-control and subjective well-being using a psychometric model. In Study 2, we examined the moderating effects of both trait and state motivation on the effect of state self-control (measured via ego depletion) on subjective well-being using an experimental model. Our results indicated that self-control had a positive effect on subjective well-being, with this relationship being primarily moderated by prevention motivation. When state and trait prevention motivations were congruent, self-control had the most obvious impact on subjective well-being. This study suggests that current understandings around the association between self-control and happiness is limited, implying that motivation should be the focus of future research.

scholarly journals A Multisite Preregistered Paradigmatic Test of the Ego-Depletion Effect

2021 ◽  
pp. 095679762198973
Author(s):  
Kathleen D. Vohs ◽  
Brandon J. Schmeichel ◽  
Sophie Lohmann ◽  
Quentin F. Gronau ◽  
Anna J. Finley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alternative Hypothesis ◽  
Ego Depletion ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Bayesian Analyses ◽  
Action Orientation ◽  
Replication Method ◽  
Depletion Effect ◽  
Confirmatory Tests ◽  
Nonsignificant Result ◽  
Meta Analyses

We conducted a preregistered multilaboratory project ( k = 36; N = 3,531) to assess the size and robustness of ego-depletion effects using a novel replication method, termed the paradigmatic replication approach. Each laboratory implemented one of two procedures that was intended to manipulate self-control and tested performance on a subsequent measure of self-control. Confirmatory tests found a nonsignificant result ( d = 0.06). Confirmatory Bayesian meta-analyses using an informed-prior hypothesis (δ = 0.30, SD = 0.15) found that the data were 4 times more likely under the null than the alternative hypothesis. Hence, preregistered analyses did not find evidence for a depletion effect. Exploratory analyses on the full sample (i.e., ignoring exclusion criteria) found a statistically significant effect ( d = 0.08); Bayesian analyses showed that the data were about equally likely under the null and informed-prior hypotheses. Exploratory moderator tests suggested that the depletion effect was larger for participants who reported more fatigue but was not moderated by trait self-control, willpower beliefs, or action orientation.

scholarly journals Searching for the bottom of the ego well: Failure to uncover ego depletion in Many Labs 3

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel A. Vadillo ◽  
Natalie Gold ◽  
Magda Osman
Keyword(s):  
Stroop Task ◽  
Secondary Task ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Limited Resource ◽  
Ego Depletion ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Significant Evidence ◽  
Heated Debate ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Optimal Measure

According to a popular model of self-control, willpower depends on a limited resource that can be depleted when we perform a task demanding self-control. Over the last five years, the reliability of the empirical evidence supporting this model has become the subject of heated debate. In the present study, we reanalysed data from a large-scale study –Many Labs 3– to test whether performing a depleting task has any effect on a secondary task that also relies on self-control. Although we used a large sample of more than 2,000 participants for our analyses, we did not find any significant evidence of ego-depletion: Persistence on an anagram solving task (a typical measure of self-control) was not affected by previous completion of a Stroop task (a typical depleting task in this literature). Our results suggest that persistence in anagram solving may not be an optimal measure to test depletion effects.

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