The intrinsic value of self-control (A10*)

• Subject Area: General, Cognitive and Mathematical Psychology ; Social Psychology, Industrial and Organisational Psychology
• Term: since 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 178833530

While most current theories conceive of self-control or resisting temptation as effortful and aversive, project A10 will investigate from a social-cognitive perspective under which conditions self-control can become intrinsically rewarding. We will examine whether associating self-control with reward or with feedback that highlights the relevance of self-control for one’s competence or positive self-concept induces an intrinsic preference for the exertion of self-control even in non-rewarded tasks. In addition, we will investigate wheth-er the exertion of self-control elicits activation in reward-related brain areas. We expect results to be relevant for the explanation of failures to mobilize self-control in mental disorders as studied by the clinical projects.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 940: Volition and Cognitive Control: Mechanisms, Modulators and Dysfunctions
• Applicant Institution: Technische Universität Dresden
• Project Heads: Professorin Dr. Veronika Job; Dr. Franziska Korb