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George Ainslie1

  • 1Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Coatesville, PA19320; and School of Economics, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7710, South Africa. George.Ainslie@va.gov; http://www.picoeconomics.org.

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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Willpower involves psychological functions resisting temptation, but definitions vary. This study proposes willpower encompasses resolve and suppression, distinct functions crucial for self-control and habit formation.

Keywords:
Addictiondual valuationfrontocortical imaginghabitimpulsivenessinhibitionintertemporal bargainingresolverewardself-controlsuppression

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Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Neuroscience
  • Behavioral Science

Background:

  • Definitions of willpower vary, leading to miscommunication among researchers.
  • Existing theories inadequately explain the role of motivation and effort in self-control.
  • Impulse control is sometimes conflated with habit, bypassing motivational aspects.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To clarify the psychological functions underlying willpower.
  • To differentiate between resolve and suppression as distinct components of willpower.
  • To explore the relationship between willpower, motivation, effort, and habit formation.

Main Methods:

  • Conceptual analysis of existing willpower literature.
  • Distinction between resolve (interpreting choices as test cases) and suppression (inhibiting alternatives).
  • Review of potential brain imaging correlates for these functions.

Main Results:

  • Willpower is proposed to consist of resolve and suppression.
  • Resolve involves viewing current choices as tests for future outcomes.
  • Suppression involves modulating or filtering immediate temptations.

Conclusions:

  • Recognizing resolve and suppression clarifies willpower's mechanisms.
  • Resolve can lead to effortless habit formation, not an alternative to self-control.
  • Further research, including brain imaging, is needed to validate these concepts.