The Extent Of Your Self-Control Depends On Your
Personality Type
January 24, 2008
A new study from Northwestern introduces personality types used frequently in
consumer research to the realm of self-improvement. People are motivated by one
of two fundamental needs: they are either "promotion-focused," seeking
products that will help them achieve hopes and aspirations, or they are
"prevention-focused," seeking items that help achieve a need for
safety and security. According to the research, people are better able to
exercise self-control when they choose goal-pursuit strategies - such as diets
or money management - that "fit" with their promotion or prevention
focus.
"This research has important implications for consumer welfare,"
explain Jiewen Hong and Angela Y. Lee (both of Northwestern University) in the
February issue of the Journal of Consumer Research. "While self-help
remedies are saturating the market, resisting temptations remains a strenuous
process and a constant struggle for many people. The data reported in this
research offer an important step toward understanding self-control and highlight
the benefits of adopting the right goal pursuit strategies."
Given their concern for growth and accomplishments, promotion-focused
individuals experience "fit" when they adopt strategies that strive
toward gains. They experience "nonfit" when they adopt vigilance
strategies that guard against losses, the researchers explain. In contrast,
prevention-focused individuals experience "fit" when they adopt
vigilance strategies to address their concern for safety and security.
In the study, adoption of strategies that "fit" was reflected in
having promotion - or prevention-focused individuals list either how they
anticipated they would achieve their aspiration (i.e., "What are some
things you can do to make sure everything goes right?") or how they would
fulfill their obligation (i.e., "What are some of the things you can do to
avoid anything that could go wrong?")
In one study, participants who had filled out the questionnaire were then asked
to choose between an apple and a chocolate bar as a snack. A remarkable 80
percent of those who had been asked to think about strategies that
"fit" with their focus chose the apple, while only 20 percent of those
who adopted conflicting strategies chose the apple.
Another experiment had particularly important real-world implications, gauging
research participants' willingness to get tested for hepatitis. Getting
diagnostic screening for most medical conditions is considered inconvenient,
unpleasant, and a hassle - it requires self-control to get tested, especially if
you consider yourself low-risk.
Among participants who perceived themselves to be at low risk, those who adopted
goal pursuit strategies that fit their promotion or prevention focus were more
willing to get tested for hepatitis than those who were asked to think about
strategies that did not fit with their pre-determined focus.
Importantly, people seemed unaware of these effects and didn't select strategies
that fit their focus when offered the choice.
"[We] find that when people adopt goal pursuit strategies that fit with
their promotion or prevention focus, they have better self-control. In contrast,
their self-control is weakened when they adopt goal pursuit strategies that
conflict with their focus," the researchers explain.
They conclude: "Self-control is not just about doing the right things, but
also about doing things the right way."
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Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release.
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Jiewen Hong and Angela Y. Lee, "Be Fit and Be Strong: Mastering
Self-Regulation through Regulatory Fit." Journal of Consumer Research:
February 2008.
Source: Suzanne Wu
University of
Chicago Press Journals
Medical News Today: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com
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