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Self-Control Based on Soft Commitment
1Psychology Department, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794 USA.
The Behavior Analyst
|January 25, 2020
Summary
Complex ambivalence involves conflicting desires, like healthy habits versus smoking. This study suggests self-control is achieved through "soft commitment," establishing behavior patterns to align with long-term goals, not just stopping impulsive acts.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Psychology
- Decision Science
Background:
- Complex ambivalence presents a conflict between long-term abstract goals and immediate particular actions.
- Self-control is often viewed as resisting impulsive acts, but this is insufficient in complex ambivalence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore self-control strategies beyond targeting impulsive acts in complex ambivalence.
- To introduce 'soft commitment' as a method for achieving self-control by patterning behavior over time.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual analysis of self-control in situations of complex ambivalence.
- Introduction of 'soft commitment' as a strategy to engage with extended behavioral contingencies.
- Outline of a specific self-control program for smoking cessation as an illustration.
Main Results:
- Self-control in complex ambivalence can be enhanced by establishing long-term behavioral patterns ('soft commitment').
- This approach focuses on aligning behavior with extended contingencies rather than solely suppressing impulsive acts.
- A smoking cessation program demonstrates the practical application of soft commitment.
Conclusions:
- Soft commitment offers a novel approach to self-control in complex ambivalence.
- Behavioral patterning over time is key to engaging with long-term goals.
- This strategy provides an alternative to traditional methods focused on reducing impulsive behaviors.
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