Ego depletion

Ego depletion refers to the idea that self-control and other mental processes that require focused conscious effort rely on energy that can be used up. When that energy is low (rather than high), mental activity that requires self-control is impaired. In other words, using one's self-control impairs the ability to control one's self later on. In this sense, the idea of (limited) willpower is correct. In an illustrative experiment on ego depletion, participants who controlled themselves by trying not to laugh while watching a comedian did worse on a later task that required self-control compared to participants who did not have to control their laughter while watching the video.

Much of the early research on ego depletion was performed by Roy Baumeister, Mark Muraven, and their colleagues.

References

Baumeister, R. F., Bratslavsky, E., Muraven, M. & Tice, D. M. (1998). [http://www.psy.fsu.edu/~baumeistertice/baumeisteretal1998.pdf Ego Depletion: Is the Active Self a Limited Resource?] Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74(5), 1252-1265.

Baumeister, R.F., Dewall, C.N., Ciarocco, N.J., & Twenge, J.M.. (2005), Social Exclusion Impairs Self-Regulation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 88, 589-604, http://www.psy.fsu.edu/~baumeistertice/baumeisteretal2005.pdf

Muraven, M., & Baumeister, R. F. (2000). Self-regulation and depletion of limited resources: Does self-control resemble a muscle? Psychological Bulletin, 126, 247-259.

Muraven, M., Tice, D. M., & Baumeister, R. F. (1998). Self-control as a limited resource: Regulatory depletion patterns. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74, 774-789.

Also social neurology reports the phenomenon:

Campbell, W. Keith, Elizabeth Krusemark, Kara Dyckman, Amy Brunell, Jennifer McDowell, Jean Twenge, Brett Clementz, (2006), A magnetoencephalography investigation of neural correlates for social exclusion and self-control, Social Neuroscience, Volume 1, Issue 2, http://taylorandfrancis.metapress.com/index/L667616200753854.pdf

Somerville, Leah, Todd F Heatherton & William M Kelley, (2006), Anterior cingulate cortex responds differentially to expectancy violation and social rejection, Nature Neuroscience Volume 9, Number 8, August 2006, http://www.scn.ucla.edu/pdf/Cyberball290.pdf

Eisenberger, Naomi, Matthew D. Lieberman, Kipling D. Williams, (2003), Does Rejection Hurt? An fMRI Study of Social Exclusion, Science, Vol. 302, p. 290-292, http://www.cepr.net/publications/social_exclusion_2006_08.pdf

See also

* Self control
* Akrasia
* Roy Baumeister

External links

* [http://www.psy.fsu.edu/~baumeistertice/egodepletion.html Resources and Articles on Ego Depletion]
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/02/opinion/02aamodt.html New York Times editorial]
* [http://www.psy.fsu.edu/~baumeistertice/ticeetal2007.pdf Positive affect helps improve self-regulation following ego depletion]