Self-control

Self-control is a vital practice in order to fully function as a human being. It is in many ways an acquired attribute; young children often do not have this quality. If a child wants something, they reach out for it; if they feel something, they say it.

As children grow and become more aware of the social norms that define their society, they learn to regulate their actions and emotions on a personal level and in a social context. Self-control plays at least a partial, if not central, role in most decision-making.

Background

Impulses are present in all animals, but humans are unique in their ability to restrain their instincts for the purpose of achieving higher goals and cooperating with other members of society. Self-regulation is one of the qualities unique to humanity and that sets it apart from other animals.

Self-regulation is an important component of decision-making, but humans tend to have a complicated relationship with this quality. As researcher and social psychologist Roy F. Baumeister has found, many people have a limited reserve of self-control. Many studies have consistently shown that subjects did not perform well on tests of self-control if they had to exercise their willpower in a different scenario earlier that day. Additionally, self-regulation is often undermined by self-sabotage. Self-sabotaging behavior is any behavior that gets in the way of positive attitudes, productivity, or progress—despite these behaviors generally bringing negative results, they are the result of misguided attempts to avoid negative feelings. Drinking or eating excessively, procrastinating, or doubting abilities are all behaviors that undermine individuals’ attempts to control themselves. Such behaviors can become addictive, and—once ingrained in a person’s mind—they become harder to break.

To achieve a personal goal, for example, it is necessary to exercise self-control and stave off cravings. In order to lose weight, one must regularly diet, exercise, and otherwise control one’s behaviors; if they feel a craving for food that they know will counteract their diet, they must overcome that urge. In this way, self-control can improve a person’s life by regulating their activities and helping them to behave in ways that benefit their long-term health. Just as negative or self-sabotaging behaviors can become ingrained through repetition, self-control can become a habit through repetition.

Studies have found that children equalize their lifelong self-control level by age seven or eight (though these are not necessarily permanent and can be changed well into adulthood). People with high self-control are able to consider the long-term implications of their actions and can accordingly delay gratification or choose to act based on their overall best interests. Those with low self-control, by contrast, have difficulty thinking beyond their immediate desires. This impulsiveness manifests in ways that can be destructive both to these individuals and those around them, including risk-taking behavior (which stems from lack of consideration given to possible hazards) and low empathy for those around them.

Overview

Though the precise neurological mechanics of self-control are still unknown, scientific observations have shown that there is a necessary balance between external factors (stimuli, such as the smell of food) and internal needs (hunger and the desire to eat).

Todd A. Hare and his colleagues at the California Institute of Technology have observed that the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in the brain are crucially linked to the neurological mechanics of self-control. The vmPFC is associated with setting goals; the DLPFC’s function is to moderate the vmPFC’s pursuit of these goals. Through understanding this relationship, it has been found that poor self-control is associated with a malfunctioning DLPFC.

On a chemical level, it has been determined that glucose plays a vital role in the mechanics of self-control. Exerting self-control reduces glucose levels in the brain. Alcohol, for example, greatly reduces glucose levels, and thus affects an individual’s ability to make choices. Lower levels of glucose lead to poor decision-making and lack of self-control.

Many theorists link low self-control with criminality, especially in children who are predisposed to lack of control through their own behaviors or from learning such habits from parents or other adults of influence. In the latter instance, negative behavior can be perpetuated across generations. Once these behaviors have asserted themselves, it is difficult to change deep-set patterns.

While there is much support in favor of this theory, it has been pointed out that criminal behavior results from breaking established moral rules. For example, in Victor Hugo’s novel Les Misérables (1862), Jean Valjean steals a loaf of bread to feed his sister’s starving children. His act is motivated by need (despite understanding its illegality), rather than a lack of self-control. Poor self-control is often a contributing factor to criminality, but is not its sole cause. In instances where individuals are unable or unwilling to curtail violent behaviors, society may resort to incarceration. By locking away people with low self-control, some measure of control is maintained in society at large.

Self-control is a necessary element of an individual’s ability to properly integrate with the social structure of the world around them. Without the ability to control emotions and impulses, individuals will experience difficulties being accepted by others and may be isolated or find themselves the victim of bullying or other ostracizing behaviors.

Instances of self-control can be seen in a multitude of situations. As mentioned above, self-control determines how individuals comport themselves. But self-control may be even more vital in terms of how one interacts with other members of society. For example, if one person agitates another through verbal or physical abuse, the abused person must exercise self-control if they want to calm the situation. If they respond with aggression, or instinctively lash out, the situation will escalate.

When encountering an individual whose level of self-control is lower than that of the person encountering them, caution must be exercised. Direct confrontation will likely agitate the individual further; taking a gentle approach may mitigate their extreme impulses.

Bibliography

Baumeister, Roy F. "The Power of Self-Control." Interview by Kirsten Weir. American Psychological Association. APA, Jan. 2012. Web. 23 Sept. 2016.

Cherry, Kendra. "How to Improve Your Self-Control." Reviewed by Emily Swaim. Verywell Mind, 9 Nov. 2023, www.verywellmind.com/psychology-of-self-control-4177125. Accessed 6 Nov. 2024.

Gottfredson, Michael, and Travis Hirschi. A General Theory of Crime. Stanford: Stanford UP, 1990. Print.

Hare, Todd A., Colin F. Camerer, and Antonio Rangel. "Self-Control in Decision-Making Involves Modulation of the VmPFC Valuation System." Science 1 May 2009: 646-48. Print.

Hay, Carter, and Walter Forrest. "The Development of Self-Control: Examining Self-Control Theory’s Stability Thesis." Criminology 44. 4 (2006): 739–74. Print.

Thaler, Richard H., and H. M. Shefrin. "An Economic Theory of Self-Control." Journal of Political Economy89.2 (1981): 392–406. Print.

Tittle, Charles R. "Gender, Age, and Crime/Deviance: A Challenge to Self-Control Theory."Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency 40.4 (2003): 426–53. Print.

Wikström, Per-Olof H., and Kyle Treiber. "The Role of Self-Control in Crime Causation: Beyond Gottfredson and Hirschi’s General Theory of Crime." European Journal of Criminology 4.2 (2007): 237–64. Print.