Galla Brian M, Duckworth Angela L
Department of Psychology.
J Pers Soc Psychol. 2015 Sep;109(3):508-25. doi: 10.1037/pspp0000026. Epub 2015 Feb 2.
Why does self-control predict such a wide array of positive life outcomes? Conventional wisdom holds that self-control is used to effortfully inhibit maladaptive impulses, yet this view conflicts with emerging evidence that self-control is associated with less inhibition in daily life. We propose that one of the reasons individuals with better self-control use less effortful inhibition, yet make better progress on their goals is that they rely on beneficial habits. Across 6 studies (total N = 2,274), we found support for this hypothesis. In Study 1, habits for eating healthy snacks, exercising, and getting consistent sleep mediated the effect of self-control on both increased automaticity and lower reported effortful inhibition in enacting those behaviors. In Studies 2 and 3, study habits mediated the effect of self-control on reduced motivational interference during a work-leisure conflict and on greater ability to study even under difficult circumstances. In Study 4, homework habits mediated the effect of self-control on classroom engagement and homework completion. Study 5 was a prospective longitudinal study of teenage youth who participated in a 5-day meditation retreat. Better self-control before the retreat predicted stronger meditation habits 3 months after the retreat, and habits mediated the effect of self-control on successfully accomplishing meditation practice goals. Finally, in Study 6, study habits mediated the effect of self-control on homework completion and 2 objectively measured long-term academic outcomes: grade point average and first-year college persistence. Collectively, these results suggest that beneficial habits-perhaps more so than effortful inhibition-are an important factor linking self-control with positive life outcomes.
为什么自我控制能预测如此广泛的积极生活成果？传统观点认为，自我控制用于努力抑制适应不良的冲动，但这一观点与新出现的证据相冲突，即自我控制与日常生活中较少的抑制有关。我们认为，自我控制能力较强的人较少进行费力抑制，但在目标实现上取得更好进展的原因之一是他们依赖有益的习惯。在6项研究（总样本量N = 2274）中，我们发现了对这一假设的支持。在研究1中，健康零食饮食习惯、锻炼习惯和规律睡眠习惯介导了自我控制对这些行为实施过程中自动性增加和报告的费力抑制减少的影响。在研究2和3中，学习习惯介导了自我控制对工作-休闲冲突期间动机干扰减少以及即使在困难情况下学习能力增强的影响。在研究4中，家庭作业习惯介导了自我控制对课堂参与度和家庭作业完成情况的影响。研究5是一项对参加为期5天冥想静修的青少年进行的前瞻性纵向研究。静修前更好的自我控制能力预测了静修3个月后更强的冥想习惯，并且习惯介导了自我控制对成功实现冥想练习目标的影响。最后，在研究6中，学习习惯介导了自我控制对家庭作业完成情况以及两项客观测量的长期学业成果的影响：平均绩点和大学一年级的持续学业情况。总体而言，这些结果表明，有益的习惯——或许比费力抑制更重要——是将自我控制与积极生活成果联系起来的一个重要因素。
