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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 15, 2025

Errors as a Means of Reducing Impulsive Food Choice

Errors as a Means of Reducing Impulsive Food Choice

Published on: June 5, 2016

Effortless self-control.

Marleen Gillebaart¹, Iris K Schneider²

¹Utrecht University, Social, Health, and Organisational Psychology, Heidelberglaan 1, 3584CS Utrecht, the Netherlands.

Current Opinion in Psychology

|August 23, 2024

Summary

Effortless self-control is possible through quicker conflict resolution and developing automatic habits. Strategies exist to avoid difficult impulse resistance, suggesting easier paths to successful self-control.

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Last Updated: Jun 15, 2025

Errors as a Means of Reducing Impulsive Food Choice

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Published on: June 5, 2016

Experimental Paradigm for Measuring the Effects of Self-distancing in Young Children

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Psychophysiological Assessment of the Effectiveness of Emotion Regulation Strategies in Childhood

Psychophysiological Assessment of the Effectiveness of Emotion Regulation Strategies in Childhood

Published on: February 11, 2017

Area of Science:

Psychology
Behavioral Science

Background:

Self-control is crucial for life success but often perceived as demanding.
Recent research suggests self-control can be achieved with less effort.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore the concept of effortless self-control.
To identify mechanisms facilitating easier self-control.

Main Methods:

Review of recent research on self-control.
Analysis of associations between high self-control and conflict resolution.
Examination of behavioral automatization and proactive strategies.

Main Results:

Individuals with high self-control identify and resolve conflicts faster.
Automatization of behaviors leads to more effortless self-control through ingrained habits.
Proactive strategies can circumvent the need for effortful inhibition.

Conclusions:

Successful self-control is not solely dependent on intense effort.
Developing automatic habits and employing anticipatory strategies offer more efficient routes to self-control.