Why are people with high self-control happier? The effect of trait self-control on happiness as mediated by regulatory focus

Abstract

Background: While self-control has often been related to positive outcomes in life such as higher academic achievements and better health, recent insights reveal that people with high trait self-control (TSC) may even experience greater life satisfaction or happiness.Objective: The current study further scrutinizes this potential association between TSC and happiness, and examines how regulatory focus, defined as the way people frame and direct their goal pursuit strategies, plays a role in this relationship. Accordingly, the present study examines the mediating role of regulatory-focus (promotion and prevention focus) on the relationship between TSC and happiness.Method: Data was collected from 545 individuals (65.9% female, Mage = 27.52 years) regarding their TSC, regulatory focus, and happiness.Results: Mediation analyses demonstrate that TSC positively predicts happiness, while this effect was partially mediated by relatively more promotion focus and less prevention focus.Conclusion: Results suggest that people with higher TSC are happier possibly because they are: (1) more promotion-focused on acquiring positive gains thereby facilitating more approach-oriented behaviors, and (2) less prevention-focused on avoiding losses thereby reducing avoidance-oriented behaviors. These findings are relevant for topical scientific debates regarding the underlying mechanisms of self-control regarding initiatory and inhibitory behaviors.

Lessons learned from trait self-control in well-being: making the case for routines and initiation as important components of trait self-control

“…While it is beyond doubt that at times exercising self-control may be effortful and thus deplete resources, our view shows that it does not necessarily has to be that way. Exercising self-control to achieve goals rather than to avoid or suppress actions that interfere with long-term goal striving may even be energising (Cheung et al, 2014) while relying on effortless strategies to handle self-control dilemmas by definition does not draw on resources. That being said, research on successful self-control is mainly derived from studies examining trait self-control.…”

“…They also report higher levels of psychosocial adjustment and less psychopathology (including depression and anxiety) (Bowlin & Baer, 2012;Tangney et al, 2004) as well as better interpersonal relationships (Finkel & Campbell, 2001;Righetti & Finkenauer, 2011). Besides being disciplined, and thereby better able to achieve long-term goals, people with high self-control also report higher levels of life satisfaction (Hofmann et al, 2013) and happiness (Cheung et al, 2014).…”

“…There is also research showing that self-control is related to affective well-being in terms of happiness (Cheung et al, 2014). Cheung and colleagues revealed a moderate to strong association between self-control and happiness and further demonstrated that this relation was partially mediated by the way people pursue their goals, suggesting that individuals with high trait self-control are more oriented toward finding strategies to reach their goals rather than being preoccupied with avoiding opportunities that might prevent goal achievement, which is then related to happiness.…”

“…adjustment (Tangney et al, 2004), and higher levels of happiness (Cheung, Gillebaart, Kroese, & De Ridder, 2014) and life satisfaction (Hofmann, Luhmann, Fischer, Vohs, & Baumeister, 2013).…”

People higher in self-control do not necessarily experience more happiness: Regulatory focus also affects subjective well-being

“…For example, Lisjak and Lee (2014) found that when people had insufficient selfcontrol resources, they tended to be prevention-focused and engage in self-protection behaviors. Cheung, Gillebaart, Kroese, and Ridder (2014) further proposed that people high in self-control were more promotion-focused on acquiring positive gains, and thereby increasing approach-oriented behaviors; whereas they were less preventionfocused on avoiding losses, thereby reducing avoidance-oriented behaviors.…”