Beyond Desire: Examining the Role of Feelings and Experiences in Self-Control

Self-control involves the inhibition of urges that conflict with goal-directed behavior. Consequently, self-control is often viewed as a deliberative cognitive process that is undermined by desire. This talk considers several of my recent studies suggesting that feelings and incidental experiences play a much broader role in self-control than previously considered. The first set of studies demonstrates that enhanced feelings of self-worth can undermine self-control. The second set of studies suggests that ego depletion can be better understood by treating the feeling of being depleted as a source of information. My final set of studies demonstrates that the experience of consuming a luxury product can lead people to subsequently display greater self-control. Collectively, the studies suggest that existing models of self-control can be better understood by accounting for the role of feelings in self-control.