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Self-Control Based on Soft Commitment.

Howard Rachlin1

  • 1Psychology Department, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794 USA.

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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

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.

Keywords:
Complex ambivalencePatterns of behaviorSelf-controlSimple ambivalenceSmokingSoft commitment

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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.