A Multilab Preregistered Replication of the Ego-Depletion Effect

Abstract

Good self-control has been linked to adaptive outcomes such as better health, cohesive personal relationships, success in the workplace and at school, and less susceptibility to crime and addictions. In contrast, self-control failure is linked to maladaptive outcomes. Understanding the mechanisms by which self-control predicts behavior may assist in promoting better regulation and outcomes. A popular approach to understanding self-control is the strength or resource depletion model. Self-control is conceptualized as a limited resource that becomes depleted after a period of exertion resulting in self-control failure. The model has typically been tested using a sequential-task experimental paradigm, in which people completing an initial self-control task have reduced self-control capacity and poorer performance on a subsequent task, a state known as ego depletion Although a meta-analysis of ego-depletion experiments found a medium-sized effect, subsequent meta-analyses have questioned the size and existence of the effect and identified instances of possible bias. The analyses served as a catalyst for the current Registered Replication Report of the ego-depletion effect. Multiple laboratories (k = 23, total N = 2,141) conducted replications of a standardized ego-depletion protocol based on a sequential-task paradigm by Sripada et al. Meta-analysis of the studies revealed that the size of the ego-depletion effect was small with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) that encompassed zero (d = 0.04, 95% CI [-0.07, 0.15]. We discuss implications of the findings for the ego-depletion effect and the resource depletion model of self-control.

Entertainment as a Creature Comfort: Self-Control and Selection of Challenging Media

“…Lab studies have failed to replicate commonly cited effects (Hagger & Chatzisarantis, 2016;Xu et al, 2014), leading to concern that self-control may not function as conceptualized or only in specific domains such as cognitive performance (Carter, Kofler, Forster, & McCullough, 2015). However, others argued that reviewing the idea of selfcontrol in terms of motivational and attentional focus may reconcile past findings (Inzlicht, Schmeichel, & Macrae, 2014).…”

“…When ability to control the self is diminished, will people avoid challenging media choices and turn to the creature comforts of easy, nonchallenging choices? Initial findings suggest that this may be the case (Eden, Hartmann, & Reinecke, 2015), however, these findings' generalizability is limited by selective exposure methodological concerns (Clay, Barber, & Shook, 2013) and concerns about ego depletion laboratory paradigms (Hagger & Chatzisarantis, 2016).…”

Do they Aggress Earlier? Investigating the Effects of Ego Depletion on Police Officers’ Use of Force Behavior

“…For example, recent meta-analytic evidence (Carter and McCullough 2014;Carter et al 2015;Hagger and Chatzisarantis 2016) does not support the proposition that self-control relies on a limited resource, when tested in laboratory settings. Likewise, a multilab preregistered replication study of the ego depletion effect with 23 laboratories (N = 2141) using a sequential task paradigm failed to replicate the ego depletion effect, providing evidence that, if there is any ego depletion effect, it is close to zero.…”

Collections2: Using “Crowdsourcing” within Psychological Research

“…For example, several recent, high-profile, large-scale research projects have demonstrated the potential of crowdsourcing research resources to make substantial contributions (e.g., the "Many Labs" projects, Ebersole et al, 2016;Eerland et al, 2016;Klein et al, 2014;Registered Replication Reports [RRR], Alogna et al 2014;Cheung et al, 2016;Hagger et al, 2016;Wagenmakers et al, 2016;"The Pipeline Project," Schweinsberg et al, 2016; the "ManyBabies" project, Frank et al, 2017; see also Schmalz, 2016). In each of these projects, several research teams each conducted a study (a) following the same methods, (b) at different locations and with different samples, and (c) the results from each research team were aggregated into a planned, common analysis from the project's inception.…”