Reconceptualizing Ego Depletion as Transient Cognitive Fatigue

Abstract

Ego depletion is embroiled in a crisis that has cast doubts over the legitimacy of the phenomenon itself and its theoretical explanation. I first summarize and analyze the strength model of self- control as cohesive theoretical explanations of the phenomenon and highlight the difficulties it creates for depletion researchers. I conclude that the strength model is not the best theoretical explanation for the depletion phenomenon. Rather, I propose reconceptualizing the ego depletion effect as transient cognitive fatigue (TCF). To support this theoretical shift, I highlight how both the classic and disparate findings in the depletion literature cleanly map into the literature on cognitive fatigue, and how considering depletion to be TCF accommodates existing theoretical alternatives to the strength model.

A Computational Approach to Identifying Engineering Design Problems

“…Cognitive fatigue could be induced during EDPE tasks and manifest as creative burnout, frustration, and/or tiredness leading to withdrawal from the task [48][49][50][51][52].…”

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 ).…”