Increasing self-regulatory energy using an Internet-based training application delivered by smartphone technology

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Behavioral Science
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Self-control capacity is conceptualized as an energy resource.
• Repeated self-regulation attempts can lead to ego depletion, impairing future control.
• Training may enhance self-control and mitigate ego depletion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of an internet-based smartphone application for self-control training.
• To determine if this training reduces ego depletion.

Main Methods:

• Two experiments were conducted with participants randomly assigned to a 4-week smartphone-delivered self-control training program or a control group.
• Training involved a modified Stroop task via a novel internet-based application.
• Post-training performance on laboratory self-control tasks was assessed.

Main Results:

• Participants in the training group demonstrated significantly better performance on post-training self-control tasks compared to the control group.
• The findings support the effectiveness of self-control training.
• The smartphone application proved effective for administering and monitoring the training program.

Conclusions:

• Self-control training, particularly via a smartphone application, can effectively improve self-regulation.
• The novel application offers practical advantages, including ecological validity and compliance monitoring.
• This approach presents a viable method for enhancing self-control capacity.