When More Depletion Offsets the Ego Depletion Effect
Abstract
The ego depletion effect has been consistently replicated using the typical paradigm that consists of two consecutive tasks. However, striking contradiction exists in studies employing multiple tasks. The aim of the current study is to replicate previous studies following a similar procedure and design in a sample of participants from a non-western cultural background (Chinese), while strictly controlling other confounding factors, such as task duration. Results indicated that although ego depletion occurred after performing a single initial self-control task, engaging in multiple tasks did indeed offset the depletion effect. These findings are contrary to the resource-based view of ego depletion (i.e., the strength model) but more consistent with other theoretical frameworks, such as the cognitive control theory.
References
1998). Ego depletion: Is the active self a limited resource? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74, 1252–1265.
(2001). Conflict monitoring and cognitive control. Psychological Review, 108, 624–652.
(2009). A tale of two tasks: Reversing the self-regulatory resource depletion effect. Journal of Applied Psychology, 94, 1318–1324.
(2013). Adapting to an initial self-regulatory task cancels the ego depletion effect. Consciousness and Cognition, 22, 816–821.
(2009). Self-regulating enhances self-regulation in subsequent consumer decisions involving similar response conflicts. Journal of Consumer Research, 36, 394–405.
(1992). Learned industriousness. Psychological Review, 99, 248–267.
(1982). Effects of task variety on generalized effort. Journal of Educational Psychology, 74, 499–505.
(2013). Suppressing emotions impairs subsequent Stroop performance and reduces prefrontal brain activation. Plos One, 8, e60385.
(2006). Ego-depletion and prejudice: Separating automatic and controlled components. Social Cognition, 24, 111–136.
(2010). Ego depletion and the strength model of self-control: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 136, 495–525.
(1964). Adaptation-level theory: An experimental and systematic approach to behavior. New York, NY: Harper & Row.
(2010). Ego depletion – Is it all in your head? Implicit theories about willpower affect self-regulation. Psychological Science, 21, 1686–1693.
(2013). Beliefs about willpower determine the impact of glucose on self-control. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 110, 14837–14842.
(1988). The experience and meta-experience of mood. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 55, 102–111.
(2000). Self-regulation and depletion of limited resources: Does self-control resemble a muscle? Psychological Bulletin, 126, 247–259.
(2003). Mechanisms of self-control failure: Motivation and limited resource. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 29, 894–906.
(2008). Helpful self-control: Autonomy support, vitality, and depletion. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 44, 573–585.
(2009). The psychological presence of family improves self-control. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 28, 498–529.
(2011). Ego depletion is not just fatigue: Evidence from a total sleep deprivation experiment. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 2, 166–173.
(2012). Motivation, personal beliefs, and limited resources all contribute to self-control. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 48, 943–947.
(2013). Self-regulatory depletion enhances neural responses to rewards and impairs top-down control. Psychological Science, 24, 2262–2271.
(2003). Can implementation intentions help to overcome ego-depletion? Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 39, 279–286.
(