These are the notes of the course 'Self-Regulation' that is given at Utrecht University.
It is an English language subject, so most notes are also in English. Here and there are some Dutch things in between.
Self-Regulation
Lecture 1 - Introduction of the topic self-regulation
Part 1
Self-regulation refers to the self’s capacity to alter its behaviour in accordance to certain standards,
ideals or goals either stemming from internal or societal expectations. Goal setting, goal striving and
dealing with frustration and distraction.
→ self-regulation isn’t so easy as goals (by definition) refer to a future desired state that isn’t
so obvious.
- Discrepancy between current and desired state is uncomfortable and motivates action (under
certain conditions)
It is about trying to steer your behaviour in accordance with a personal goal or standard - which is not
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so easy, such an example could be saving money versus buying nice shoes. Self-regulation is related
to being able to transcend immediate temptations in service of a long-term goal.
- ‘Why don’t we do what we want to do - even though we really want to do it?’
n
Self-regulation: success vs. failure
La
- Good self-regulation relates to: success in school, work, relationships, good physical and
mental health
- Bad self-regulation (can be a) predictor of: abuse of drugs/alcohol, violence, crime, eating
disorders, underachievement in school, STD’s, anger control problems, etc.
en
Conflict plays central role
Without goals no conflict and no self-regulation:
- Someone who doesn’t care about a slim weight doesn’t experience conflict when encountering
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a chocolate cake.
- Someone who doesn’t like beer isn’t a smart self-regulator when (s)he refrains from drinking.
id
Foundation of self-regulation theory
‘Cognitive revolution’ response to behaviourism (simple stimulus-response associations):
- Interpretation of the stimulus and mental representations.
er
➔ is related to short-term goals (temptations) as ‘I want to eat that chocolate cake now’
versus long-term goals (future plans) as in ‘Too many kcal, so I don't want to eat it now’
Sh
- Comparison with a thermostat, monitoring
process, operating process
TOTE
Test = Representation of problem
state (identify standard)
Operate = Intervene in some way
Test again = To see if the desired result
has been achieved. If not,
loop back to operate.
Exit = Problem solved
,S. ten Lande
Identify goal (standard) → Experience discrepancy (motivates) → Efforts to reduce discrepancy →
Monitoring process towards goal | Carver & Scheier - 1981
Discrepancy
When discrepancy is disposed, then the present state falls short of the ideal state. Discrepancy creates
the sense of wanting to change the present state so that it’ll move closer and closer towards the ideal
state.
- Present state represents the person’s current status of how life is going.
- Ideal state represents how the person wishes life was going
Person is making satisfactory progress toward reducing present - ideal state discrepancy, then you get
positive emotions, such as hope, excitement, eagerness, enthusiasm.
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Person is making unsatisfactory progress toward reducing present - ideal state discrepancy, then you
get negative emotions, such as frustration, irritation, anxiety → progress is worse than what is needed.
These first 3 negative emotions facilitate discrepancy reduction (= people working harder).
- progress is more than worse, means you also get sadness, depression, despair.
n
La
Self-determination theory | Deci & Ryan
Two types of self-regulation
1. Autonomous
● Behaviour, emotions or cognitions are regulated for a reason that a person values,
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finds meaningful and wholly endorse. Regulate behaviour yourself.
● Energizes: no depletion
2. Controlled
● Regulation is dominated by internal / external pressure. E.g. what your parents / peers
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want you to do.
● More difficult: requires more effort; depletes → costs energy.
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Needs
Needs are inborn necessities rather than acquired motives, such as food and clothes needed to
survive. Self-regulation of behaviour that contributes to intrinsic needs is not / less exhausting.
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Basic needs
1. Motivate behaviour: ‘arouses an action toward a goal, giving purpose and direction to
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behaviour.’
2. Are critical for survival
● Biological needs: hunger, thirst, sex and sleep
● Psychological needs: autonomy, competence, relatedness
➔ Competence = the need to be effective in interactions with the environment.
➔ Autonomy = the need to experience self-direction, then personal endorsement
in the initiation and regulation of one’s behaviour.
➔ Relatedness = the need to establish those emotional bonds and attachments
with other people and this desire to be connected emotionally and to be
personally involved in warm relationships.
● And maybe even social needs {implicit motives}: achievement, affiliation, power
, S. ten Lande
Needs motivate people in a certain way. Much of the focus of SDT theory lies on types of motivation
that is derived from needs: needs motivate behaviour to fulfill those needs
- Even when motivation is high, self-regulation tools are needed to translate motivation into
action.
7 deadly threats to self-regulation
1. Cue exposure and impulse control
2. Emotional & social distress
3. Lapse-activated patterns and abstinence violations
4. Impairments of self-monitoring & self-awareness
5. Influence of other people
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- Catalyst for failure (deindividuation, mimicry, changed norms, reduced self-awareness)
6. Self-regulatory resource depletion
7. Alcohol intoxication: large cause of relapse
- Psychologically: reduced self-awareness or narrowing attention → ‘double whammy of
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impairment’
Workgroup
Do’s and Don’t for introduction
DO
La
DON’T
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● Something that immediately grabs your ● Don’t be too specific > not mentioning
attention; recent happenings, participants and methods etc.
statements, etc. ● Length of text and sentences
at
● Ask a question to grab attention and sort ● ‘In this paper’
of answer it, but not completely so you ● Random start, definition
have to keep reading ● Not too broad
● Use phenomenal statistics
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● Recent sources
● Good structure, definition
● Surprising fact - link it to individual
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behaviour / societal relevance
● Interesting twist / contradiction
Sh
Jigsaw - Self-Regulatory Resource Depletion
Kind of extreme self-regulating and after a while your sources to self-regulate are empty and then you
‘relapse’
- Self-regulating in different areas, such as smoking and dieting and not drinking → sources
depleted → no more regulation.
- Eyeopener could be that you should focus on one or two aspects for self-regulation, bc then
you can get the most out of it and the risks of failure and depletion are less, then when you
focus on all different aspects.
Jigsaw - Alcohol intoxication
Main point is the double whammy of self-regulatory impairment.
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