Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 20, 2026
09:12
The Resident-intruder Paradigm: A Standardized Test for Aggression, Violence and Social Stress
Published on: July 4, 2013
Self-regulatory failure and intimate partner violence perpetration
Eli J Finkel1, C Nathan DeWall, Erica B Slotter
1Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208-2710, USA. finkel@northwestern.edu
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
|August 19, 2009
Summary
Self-regulatory failure predicts intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration. Enhancing self-control can reduce violent impulses and behaviors in relationships.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Criminology
- Social Sciences
Background:
- Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant societal issue.
- Understanding predictors of IPV perpetration is crucial for prevention.
- Self-regulation plays a role in impulse control and behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the hypothesis that self-regulatory failure predicts intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration.
- To examine the role of self-control in reducing violent impulses and behaviors.
Main Methods:
- Five studies were conducted, employing correlational and experimental designs.
- Methods included assessing dispositional self-control, measuring violent impulses and behaviors, and manipulating self-regulatory resources.
- Participants responded to partner provocations under varying conditions.
Main Results:
- Individuals experiencing violent impulses were more likely to refrain from violence, indicating self-regulatory control.
- Higher dispositional self-control was associated with lower IPV perpetration.
- Experimental depletion of self-regulatory resources increased violence following provocation.
- Self-regulatory training reduced violent inclinations.
Conclusions:
- Self-regulatory processes are critical in preventing intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration.
- Interventions aimed at bolstering self-regulation may reduce IPV.
- Self-regulation dynamics should be integrated into predictive models of IPV.
Related Concept Videos
02:05Self-Presentation: Self-Monitoring and Self-Handicapping
People can go to great lengths to protect their self-image and present themselves in ways that they want others to see them. Sociologist Erving Goffman presented the idea that a person is like an actor on a stage. Calling his theory dramaturgy, Goffman believed that we use “impression management” to present ourselves to others as we hope to be perceived. Each situation is a new scene, and individuals perform different roles depending on who is present (Goffman, 1959). Think about the way you...
01:25Self-Regulation
Self-regulation, also known as self-control, encompasses a range of cognitive and behavioral processes that allow individuals to adjust their internal states and outward actions to align with socially acceptable norms and long-term goals. It plays a fundamental role in adaptive functioning, from resisting impulsive behaviors to persisting through challenging tasks. While its benefits are widely recognized, self-regulation is not limitless. Muraven and Baumeister's theory posits that...
02:45Self-Discrepancy Theory
One influential perspective on what motivates people's behavior is detailed in Tory Higgin's self-discrepancy theory (Higgins, 1987). He proposed that people hold disagreeing internal representations of themselves that lead to different emotional states.
02:12Relationship Formation
What do you think is the single most influential factor in determining with whom you become friends and whom you form romantic relationships? You might be surprised to learn that the answer is simple: the people with whom you have the most contact. This most important factor is proximity. You are more likely to be friends with people you have regular contact with. For example, there are decades of research that shows that you are more likely to become friends with people who live in your dorm,...
01:29Self-Evaluation Maintenance Model
The Self-Evaluation Maintenance (SEM) model offers a psychological framework to understand how individuals’ self-esteem is influenced by the achievements of others, particularly those with whom they share close personal bonds. The SEM model operates when personal rather than social identity guides individuals. Central to this model is the notion that individuals have an inherent desire to preserve a favorable self-image, which is continuously shaped by interpersonal comparisons and...
01:28Ending Relationships
The dissolution of intimate relationships presents complex emotional and psychological challenges, particularly when emotional bonds are strong, the relationship is long-standing, and perceived alternatives are limited. This distress often intensifies in romantic breakups, where the initiator may experience greater turmoil than the rejected partner. Contributing factors include residual attachment, guilt over causing pain, and uncertainty about how to manage the situation. The stress is further...