Going beyond the "self" in self-control: Interpersonal consequences of commitment strategies

Area of Science:

• Psychological Science
• Behavioral Economics
• Social Psychology

Background:

• Self-control problems are common, and individuals often employ commitment strategies to manage them.
• Commitment strategies involve pre-deciding to take or avoid certain actions to guide future behavior.
• The interpersonal consequences of choosing commitment strategies, however, remain underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the interpersonal consequences associated with the choice and use of commitment strategies.
• To determine how relying on commitment strategies affects trust and impression formation compared to using willpower.
• To identify the underlying mechanisms driving these interpersonal perceptions.

Main Methods:

• A series of seven studies, including two supplemental studies, utilizing behavioral experiments such as incentivized trust games.
• Participants' trust and perceptions were measured based on choices involving commitment strategies versus willpower.
• Studies explored different domains, trust types (integrity-based), and the influence of public versus private strategy selection.

Main Results:

• Individuals exhibit less trust in people who opt for commitment strategies compared to those who rely on willpower.
• This trust deficit is particularly pronounced for integrity-based trust and holds across various domains.
• The negative perception stems from the *choice* to use a commitment strategy, not merely its use, and is partly due to inferences about past performance.
• People tend to choose commitment strategies more often in private, anticipating these negative social judgments.

Conclusions:

• Willpower serves as a positive signal in social impression formation.
• Choosing external commitment strategies can lead to negative interpersonal consequences and reduced trust.
• Individuals are aware of and strategically manage the social implications of their self-control strategy choices.