Performance Monitoring and Self-Control
Location
College of Behavioral and Social Sciences (CBSS)
Session Format
Poster Presentation
Co-Presenters and Faculty Mentors or Advisors
Dr. Janie Wilson, Faculty Advisor
Abstract
The purpose of this research project is to examine the potential for a buffer against loss of self-control. Research shows that using self-control attenuates subsequent ability or motivation to use self-control (Baumeister et al., 1998). Wan and Sternthal (2008) argue that monitoring performance using a salient standard of comparison (i.e. a progress bar) may improve performance of those who have suffered a loss of control. In the laboratory, one way to deplete self-control is to ask participants to exaggerate their emotions, such as laughing at a video that is not funny. In this study, one group must exaggerate their laughter while watching a comedic video that is not funny, and a second group will simply watch the video. After participants watch the video, they will complete an anagram task under one of three conditions: the first group will see a progress bar, which indicates amount of task completion, a second group will see a slow progress bar, and a third group will see no progress bar. I expect those in the exaggerate-emotion condition not to persist less than the control condition during the anagram task, and I expect those in the slow progress-bar condition to persist longer than those in the normal or no progress-bar conditions.
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Recommended Citation
Houseman, Hayley, "Performance Monitoring and Self-Control" (2021). GS4 Student Scholars Symposium. 88.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/research_symposium/2021/2021/88
Performance Monitoring and Self-Control
College of Behavioral and Social Sciences (CBSS)
The purpose of this research project is to examine the potential for a buffer against loss of self-control. Research shows that using self-control attenuates subsequent ability or motivation to use self-control (Baumeister et al., 1998). Wan and Sternthal (2008) argue that monitoring performance using a salient standard of comparison (i.e. a progress bar) may improve performance of those who have suffered a loss of control. In the laboratory, one way to deplete self-control is to ask participants to exaggerate their emotions, such as laughing at a video that is not funny. In this study, one group must exaggerate their laughter while watching a comedic video that is not funny, and a second group will simply watch the video. After participants watch the video, they will complete an anagram task under one of three conditions: the first group will see a progress bar, which indicates amount of task completion, a second group will see a slow progress bar, and a third group will see no progress bar. I expect those in the exaggerate-emotion condition not to persist less than the control condition during the anagram task, and I expect those in the slow progress-bar condition to persist longer than those in the normal or no progress-bar conditions.
