Abstract
Exerting self-control can diminish people's capacity to engage in subsequent acts of behavioral regulation, a phenomenon termed ego depletion. But what of imaginary regulatory experiences-does simulated restraint elicit comparable lapses in self-control? Here we demonstrate such effects under theoretically tractable imagery conditions. Across 3 experiments, temporal, structural, and spatial components of mental simulation were observed to drive the efficacy of imaginary self-control. In Experiment 1, lapses in restraint (i.e., financial impulsivity) were more pronounced when imaginary regulation (i.e., dietary restraint) focused on an event in the near versus distant future. In Experiment 2, comparable effects (i.e., increased stereotyping) emerged when simulated self-control (i.e., emotional suppression) was imagined from a first-person (cf. third-person) visual perspective. In Experiment 3, restraint was diminished (i.e., increased risk taking) when self-regulation (i.e., action control) centered on an event at a near versus distant location. These findings further delineate the conditions under which mental simulation impacts core aspects of social-cognitive functioning.
DOI
10.1037/a0036100
Publication Date
2014-01-01
Publication Title
Journal of Experimental Psychology: General
Volume
143
Issue
4
Publisher
American Psychological Association (APA)
ISSN
1939-2222
Embargo Period
2024-11-22
First Page
1755
Last Page
1764
Recommended Citation
Macrae, C., Christian, B., Golubickis, M., Karanasiou, M., & et al. (2014) 'When do I wear me out? Mental simulation and the diminution of self-control.', Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 143(4), pp. 1755-1764. American Psychological Association (APA): Available at: https://doi.org/10.1037/a0036100
