Measuring Self-Control

How significant are individual differences in self-control? Do these differences impact wealth accumulation? From where do they derive? Our survey-based measure of self-control provides insights into all three questions: 1.There are individual differences in self-control not only of a quantitative but also of a qualitative nature. In our sample, standard self-control problems of over-consumption are no more prevalent than are problems of under-consumption. 2.Standard self-control problems do impede wealth accumulation, particularly in liquid form. Problems of under-consumption have the opposite effects. 3.Self-control is linked to conscientiousness' much studied by psychologists. There is a related link with financial planning.

Self-control performance enhances self-control performance at similar tasks.

In this paper we claim that the well-established reduction in self-control performance following prior exertion of self-control (the so-called ego depletion effect) is a consequence of people's adaptation to situational demands. Consistent with this claim that follows from cognitive control theory, we show that (1) self-control performance improves during tasks that are typically used as resource depletion tasks and that (2) typical depletion effects occur only when the nature of the response conflicts in the two subsequent tasks is different. When the nature of the response conflicts in the two subsequent tasks is similar, we found that exerting self-control improves subsequent self-control performance. Implications for the self-control strength model are drawn and avenues for future research are sketched.Claim; Cognitive; Control; Control theory; Demand; Effects; Ego depletion; Implications; Model; Performance; Research; Self-control; Theory;

A Critique of Alfred R Mele’s Work on Autonomous Agents: From Self-Control to Autonomy

The book, Autonomous Agents: From Self-Control to Autonomy (1995), by Alfred R. Mele, deals primarily with two main concepts, “self-control” and “individual autonomy,” and the relationship between them. The book is divided into two parts: (1) a view of self-control, the self-controlled person, and behaviour manifesting self-control, and (2) a view of personal autonomy, the autonomous person, and autonomous behaviour. Mele (Ibid.) defines self-control as the opposite of the Aristotelian concept of akrasia, or the contrary of akrasia, which implies weakness of will, incontinence, or lack of self-control—the state of mind in which one acts against one’s better judgement. According to Mele, the concept of self-control can be approached from two perspectives: (a) how self-control affects human behaviour, and (b) how self-control-associated behavior can enhance our understanding of ‘personal autonomy’ and ‘autonomous behaviour’—personal autonomy requires self-control, and autonomous persons and autonomous behaviour are naturally found together. Therefore, I might say that self-control is essential to enhancing one’s autonomy. In part I, we find an account of self-control where Mele argues that even an ideally self-controlled person might lack autonomy. In part II, Mele gives an explicit account of autonomy and explains what must be added to self-control to achieve autonomy. This is the pivotal claim made by Mele (dismantling the intuitively connected notions of self-control and autonomy)

Hubungan Antara Self-control Dengan Perilaku Konsumtif Online Shopping Produk Fashion Pada Mahasiswa Fakultas Kedokteran Universitas Sam Ratulangi Angkatan 2011

: Self-control on adolescent is the capacity which can be used to control external variables that determine behavior. Conditions of unstable teenage emotions lead them to become consumerists. Teen consumer behavior on fashion products is to support their presentation. Consumer behavior is happening also more facilitated by the existence of Online Shopping. This study aimed to find out whether there was a relationship between self-control with consumer online shopping behavior of fashion products in students faculty of medicine University of Sam Ratulangi force 2011.This study was analytic with cross sectional approach. Sampling techniques are used i.e. consecutive sampling. The respondents were students of Faculty of Medicine University of Sam Ratulangi batch 2011 with a total number of 174 respondents. Data were obtained by using questionnaires self-control and behavior consumer online shopping fashion products. The technique analysis of the test data by using correlation Sperman Rank with error prediction of α = 0,05. The results showed that there was a relationship between support self-control by consumer online shopping behavior of fashion products in students faculty of medicine University of Sam Ratulangi force 2011, with test correlation value obtained Sperman Rank p = 0.000 <α = 0.05. With the value of the correlation of -0.485 which belong to the category of being. The negative sign indicates the direction of the relationship means the higher self-control then the lower consumer online shopping behavior of fashion products, otherwise the lower self-control then the higher consumer behavior online shopping fashion products. Conclusion: There was a relationship between self-control and consumer online shopping behavior of fashion products among students of Faculty of Medicine University of Sam Ratulangi batch 2011

Self-control and savings

We reconsider the well-established paradigm of a rational individual's choice of a consumption schedule, building on the idea that human beings devote resources to withstand their desire for immediate consumption, i.e. to become more patient, thereby making less remote the pleasure derived from deferred consumption. We construct an infinite-horizon model of a small open economy, in which individuals can accumulate a stock of personal capital that reduces the discount on future consumption. Personal capital captures the effect of a conumer's past experience and choices on his future utilities. Our main results are: i) when individuals are heterogenous with respect to ability to become patient all individuals exhibit the same rate of time preference in the long run; ii) effort is rewarded in the long run to the extent that individuals who need to make more effort to become patient are wealthier and enjoy a higher level of utility bin the steady state. The latter result stems from the complementarity between personal capital and deferred consumption. JEL Classification: E13

Commitment and Self-Control

The literature on self-control problems has typically concentrated on immediate temptations. This paper studies a Gul and Pesendorfer (2001, 2004) style model in which decision-makers are affected by temptations that lie in the future. While temptation is commonly understood to give rise to a demand for commitment, it is shown that `temptation by future consumption' can induce its absence. The model also exhibits procrastination, provides an alternative to projection bias as an explanation for some experimental results, and can simultaneously account for myopic and hyperopic behavior. The evidence on preference reversals supports temptation by future consumption, and suggests that it may not be restricted to short time horizons.Self-Control, Temptation, Commitment, Preference Reversals, Procrastination

An examination of the interaction between morality and self-control in offending : a study of differences between girls and boys

Background: There is a well-documented gender difference in offending, with evidence that boys, on average, are more involved in crime than girls. Opinions differ, however,on whether the causes of crime apply to girls and boys similarly.Aims: Our aim is to explore crime propensity in boys and girls. Our research questions were (1) are there differences between boys and girls in moral values and self-control;(2) are these attributes similarly correlated with offending among girls and boys; and (3) is any interaction effect between morality and self-control identical for girls and boys. Methods: Data were drawn from the Malmö Individual and Neighbourhood Development Study, which includes 481 girls and boys aged 16–17. An 8-item self-control scale was derived from Grasmick’s self-control instrument; we created a 16-item morality scale. Analysis of variance was used to test for differences in scale scores.Results: There were significant gender differences in moral values but not self-control.Moral values and self-control were significantly correlated with offending among both girls and boys. In the multiple regression analysis, the three-way interaction term used to test the interaction between gender, self-control and moral values was non-significant, indicating that the magnitude of the self-control–moral value interaction is not affected by gender.Conclusions: Our findings indicate that effects of morality and self-control are general and apply to girls and boys similarly, so more research is needed to explain gender differences in crime prevalence

Hubungan Keberfungsian Keluarga Dengan Kontrol Diri Remaja Pada Siswa SMA Di Bawean

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship of family functioning with adolescent self-control which is moderated by gender. The subjects in this study were 516 middle adolescents who attended high school / equivalent in Bawean Island. Family functioning is measured using the Family Assessment Device (FAD) while self-control is measured using the Self-Control Scale (SCS). Data analysis method used in this study is Moderate Regression Analysis (MRA). The results of the analysis in this study indicate that the functioning of families with self-control has a significant effect with Beta = 0.446 with p = 0.000 (p <0.01). However, gender proved unable to moderate the functioning of the family with self-control. In addition, from a separate analysis this study also explained that self-control of adolescent boys and girls alike