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Irrelevant Stimuli and Action Control: Analyzing the Influence of Ignored Stimuli via the Distractor-Response Binding Paradigm
12:12

Irrelevant Stimuli and Action Control: Analyzing the Influence of Ignored Stimuli via the Distractor-Response Binding Paradigm

Published on: May 14, 2014

Counteractive self-control.

Kristian Ove R Myrseth1, Ayelet Fishbach, Yaacov Trope

  • 1University of Chicago, Booth School of Business, Chicago, IL 60637, USA. kmyrseth@chicagogsb.edu

Psychological Science
|January 28, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

When temptation is available, self-control processes reduce its perceived value. This devaluation occurs before choices are made, influencing decisions to resist unhealthy snacks and avoid undesirable activities.

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Area of Science:

  • Consumer Psychology
  • Behavioral Economics
  • Decision Science

Background:

  • Understanding how individuals manage desires and make choices is crucial in behavioral economics.
  • The interplay between temptation availability and self-control strategies significantly impacts consumer valuation and decision-making.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of availability in the valuation of tempting options.
  • To test the hypothesis that self-control processes devalue available temptations.

Main Methods:

  • Two studies were conducted involving gym users and students.
  • Participants' valuation of temptations was assessed in relation to their decision-making context (e.g., snack choice, course enrollment).

Main Results:

  • Gym users devalued unhealthy snacks when they were available but before they made a choice to forgo them.
  • Students devalued leisure activities when their decision to enroll in an uninteresting class was reversible, not irreversible.

Conclusions:

  • Self-control mechanisms actively devalue available temptations prior to choice.
  • This devaluation serves as a strategy to facilitate self-control and adherence to long-term goals.