After-effects of self-control: The reward responsivity hypothesis

Abstract

Exercising self-control can be phenomenologically aversive. Insofar as individuals strive to maintain a positive emotional state, one consequence of exercising self-control may thus be a temporarily tuning toward or amplification of reward-related impulses (perhaps arising to countermand the aversive feelings that stem from self-control). Reward-relevant after-effects are relatively underappreciated in self-control research. In the current paper, we review theory and research pertaining to the idea that exercising self-control increases reward responsivity. First, we review theoretical models of self-control focusing on the relationship between control systems and reward systems. Second, we review behavioral studies regarding the effects of exercising self-control on subsequent reactivity to food, money, drugs, and positive emotional images. Third, we review findings from functional neuroimaging and electroencephalographic research pertaining to the reward responsivity hypothesis. We then call for additional research to integrate how, when, and under what circumstances self-control exertion influences reward processing. Such an endeavor will help to advance research and theory on self-control by offering a more precise characterization of the dynamic interactions between control systems and reward systems.

Envy and Environmental Decision Making: The Mediating Role of Self-Control

“…To regulate negative emotion and inhibit natural impulses, envy consumes self-control and contribute ego depletion [ 45 ]. Consequently, inadequate self-control leads to more immoral and impulsive behavior, including overspending and behaving less pro-socially [ 46 ]. Therefore, we assume that self-control acts as a mediator in the association of envy and environmental behavior, including pro-environmental and environmentally harmful behavior.…”

Emotion Regulation, Effort and Fatigue: Complex Issues Worth Investigating

“…Due to this, many researchers point to the fact that deterioration in self-control effectiveness may be, in many cases, better explained by goal-related, motivational, and attentional shifts (that can occur during effortful self-control), than depleted physiological resources or other physiological changes (e.g., Inzlicht et al, 2014 ; Furley et al, 2019 ; Kelley et al, 2019 ; Hurley, 2021 ). Mental fatigue was also conceptualized as a consequence of cost/benefit calculations and opportunity cost analysis during effortful control (Kurzban et al, 2013 ) as well as a result of decreased motivation and goal activation (Herlambang et al, 2021b ).…”

Ya gotta wanna: Shifting motivational priorities in the self‐control process

“…As noted, the process model has begun to receive more empirical attention in recent years (e.g., Garrison et al, 2017;Gieseler et al, 2020;Sayre et al, 2020), with studies adopting several methodological approaches (e.g., sequential two-task design; Finley & Schmeichel, 2019; functional neuroimaging; see Kelley et al, 2019). However, results have been somewhat mixed.…”

“…First, although findings from several studies have been consistent with process model predictions (e.g., Schmeichel et al, 2010), some results have been mixed or inconsistent with this model (e.g., Garrison et al, 2019;Gieseler et al, 2020;Haynes et al, 2016), raising questions regarding the value of the model in explaining self-control processes. Furthermore, previous empirical work has approached this model in several ways (e.g., the sequential two-task approach common in studies on self-control resource depletion; ; functional neuroimaging and electrophysiological studies; see Kelley et al, 2019; experience sampling techniques; Sayre et al, 2020;Wilkowski et al, 2018). This work has been interesting and informative but, particularly in light of the mixed findings, this research area would likely benefit from another approach-a within-subject repeated measures design-to more directly evaluate this theoretical perspective.…”