What is Self-Control?

Henden, Edmund

doi:10.1080/09515080701874092

Cited by 42 publications

(51 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The theory of human willpower has a long tradition represented by ancient philosophy, later exemplified by Nietzsche and Schopenhauer (Karp, Lægreid, & Moe, ) and still central in recent psychology (Henden, ; Holton, ; Karp et al, ). The concepts of self‐control and strength of will, or willpower, seem closely related; willpower is an independent source of motivation for obtaining self‐control (Henden, ). The term “willpower” includes “the ability to make a mental effort to maintain one’s prior resolutions by blocking reconsiderations” (Henden, , p.83), especially when encountering resistance from one's own inclinations to reconsider prior resolutions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The concepts of self‐control and strength of will, or willpower, seem closely related; willpower is an independent source of motivation for obtaining self‐control (Henden, ). The term “willpower” includes “the ability to make a mental effort to maintain one’s prior resolutions by blocking reconsiderations” (Henden, , p.83), especially when encountering resistance from one's own inclinations to reconsider prior resolutions. An individual's willpower is a limited source, which can be drained and thus collapse (Henden, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The term “willpower” includes “the ability to make a mental effort to maintain one’s prior resolutions by blocking reconsiderations” (Henden, , p.83), especially when encountering resistance from one's own inclinations to reconsider prior resolutions. An individual's willpower is a limited source, which can be drained and thus collapse (Henden, ). Many ICU patients wish to return to their previous life before the illness causing their ICU stay.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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“Never in my mind to give up!” A qualitative study of long‐term intensive care patients’ inner strength and willpower—Promoting and challenging aspects

Alexandersen

Stjern

Eide

et al. 2019

Journal of Clinical Nursing

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Aims and objectives To explore aspects that promote and challenge long‐term ICU patients’ inner strength and willpower. Background Considerable research has been devoted to ICU patients’ experiences; however, research on long‐term ICU patients is limited. Studies in a health‐promoting perspective focusing on long‐term ICU patients’ inner strength and willpower are scarce. Design A qualitative, hermeneutic‐phenomenological approach, using in‐depth interviews. Methods Seventeen long‐term Norwegian ICU patients were interviewed once, at 6–18 months after ICU discharge. The consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research was used (Data S1). Results The lived experience of the phenomenon “inner strength and willpower” and what promotes and challenges this phenomenon in long‐term ICU patients were represented by four main themes and nine subthemes. Promoting aspects comprised of two main themes and five subthemes: (a) “No doubt about coming back to life” with subthemes; “Strong connectedness to life; feeling alive and present,” “Meaning and purpose; feeling valuable to somebody.” (b) “How to ignite and maintain the spark of life,” with the subthemes: “Practical solutions, coping skills from previous life experiences,” “Provocative and inspiring experiences” and “Vivid dream experiences that ignite the willpower.” Two main categories and four subcategories represented challenging aspects: (a) Exhaustion, weakness and discomfort; subthemes; “Physical challenges” and “Mental discomfort” and (b) “Tiring delusions,” subthemes; “Living in the worst horror movie” and “Feeling trapped.” Conclusion This study expands on previous studies by providing insights about what promotes and challenges long‐term ICU patients’ inner strength and willpower during their recovery trajectory. Relevance to clinical practice Insights into the variety of long‐term ICU patients’ experiences during the recovery trajectory are important for ICU nurses to support and facilitate ICU patients’ inner strength and willpower.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

“Never in my mind to give up!” A qualitative study of long‐term intensive care patients’ inner strength and willpower—Promoting and challenging aspects

Alexandersen

Stjern

Eide

et al. 2019

Journal of Clinical Nursing

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“…Because even individuals who have normal self-control appear to have limited reservoirs of it. One of the leading models of self-control in psychology likens it to a muscle (see Muraven and Baumeister 2000;Henden 2008). Repeated exercises of self-control deplete this ''muscle.''…”

Section: Chau On the Temptations Account Of Sentence Mitigationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social Deprivation as Tempting Fate

Lippke

2011

Criminal Law, Philosophy

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Two recent discussions concerning punishment of the socially deprived reach conflicting conclusions. Andrew von Hirsch and Andrew Ashworth argue that we should sympathize with the predicament of the poor and therefore mitigate their sentences. Peter Chau disputes von Hirsch and Ashworth's conclusion, contending that having to face strong temptations is not an appropriate ground for reducing anyone's punishment for their crimes. I argue that neither von Hirsch and Ashworth's account nor Chau's critique of it is persuasive. I then take up the challenge of showing why social deprivation renders punishment problematic. I contend that it establishes a perverse incentive structure that is persistent and powerful, requiring the disadvantaged to exercise self-control on an ongoing basis. Repeated acts of self-control are difficult, especially for youths whose skills at it are not yet fully developed. Also, in a variety of more and less subtle ways, social deprivation reduces the incentives for self-control and may work to stunt its development. In closing, I briefly consider the options for responding to the crimes of the chronically disadvantaged.

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Habitual Self–Control: A Brief Measure of Persistent Goal Pursuit

2013

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Habitual self‐control is defined as a trait‐like personal resource factor that facilitates the enactment of difficult intentions. A 14‐item Habitual Self‐Control Questionnaire (HSCQ) was developed to assess this trait. Reliability, factorial validity, and criterion validity were assessed in five undergraduate student subsamples with an overall N of 2224. Internal consistency was .81 across the entire sample, and test–retest reliability was .83 over a one‐month interval. The HSCQ showed a theoretically meaningful pattern in terms of convergent and discriminant validity and criterion validity in predicting a variety of health behaviours that relate to self‐control, including exercise, dieting behaviour, binge eating and weight loss success. Further, the HSCQ contributed uniquely to the prediction of health behaviours beyond alternative self‐control scales. In a longitudinal part of the study, the HSCQ added to the prediction of action plan completion and satisfaction beyond motivation and moderated the relationship between motivation and enactment of action plans as theoretically expected. In sum, the results provided strong evidence for the reliability and validity of the HSCQ and highlighted some theoretically meaningful differences to already existing measures of self‐control. Theoretical implications are discussed. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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What is Self-Control?

Cited by 42 publications

References 28 publications

“Never in my mind to give up!” A qualitative study of long‐term intensive care patients’ inner strength and willpower—Promoting and challenging aspects

“Never in my mind to give up!” A qualitative study of long‐term intensive care patients’ inner strength and willpower—Promoting and challenging aspects

Social Deprivation as Tempting Fate

Habitual Self–Control: A Brief Measure of Persistent Goal Pursuit

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