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Current state of ego-depletion

Discussion/conclusion

To diminish the conceptual and replication crisis, a lot needs to be done in 2018. As of yet, the latest news states another blow for the ego-depletion theory, as researchers from Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz have released a pre-print at PsyArxiv in which they suggest the debates over the size of the ego-depletion effect are missing the point because when you look over the long-term, ego depletion becomes meaningless... (Fradera, A. The British Psychological Society. 2018)

So we have seen that ego-depletion is a huge theory which can explain why we sometimes perform worse at certain tasks. On the other hand, we have also seen that there is a lot of controversy about whether ego-depletion is a real phenomenon or not. When thinking about it, my personal opinion is that it is indeed a really ambiguous theory. Although there are results that confirm ego-depletion is real, there are more and more research reports nowadays that reject this hypothesis and make these findings invalid. Therefore, ego-depletion is a theory that really finds itself on thin ice, which is a real con. My vision is that before drawing definite conclusion about ego-depletion, the replication and the conceptual crisis needs to be solved.

So how did it start?

''Ego-depletion refers to an idea that we have a limited amount of self-control or willpower. Every time we engage in one task that requires willpower, that results in less energy to do a subsequent task requiring willpower.'' - Ferguson, C.J. 2016. Huffingtonpost

Discussing the definition, history and development of

References

● Baumeister, R. F., Bratslavsky, E., Muraven, M., & Tice, D. M. (1998). Ego depletion: Is the active self a limited resource?. Journal of personality and social psychology, 74(5), 1252.

● Baumeister, R.F. et al. (2006). Self-Regulation and Personality: How Interventions Increase Regulatory Success, and How Depletion Moderates the Effects of Traits on Behavior. Journal of Personality, 74:6.

● Carter, E.C. et al., (2015). A Series of Meta-Analytic Tests of the Depletion Effect: Self-Control Does Not Seem to Rely on a Limited Resource. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 144:4, 796-815.

● Carter, E.C., McCullough, M.E., (2014). Publication bias and the limited strength model of self-control: has the evidence for ego depletion been overestimated?. Frontiers in Psychology. Retrieved from https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00823/full#h1

● Cook, J.L. (2014). Self-Regulation. Education.com. Retrieved from https://www.education.com/reference/article/self-regulation-development-skill/

● Ferguson, C.J. (2016). The Reduction of Ego-Depletion. Huffingtonpost. Retrieved from https://www.huffingtonpost.com/christopher-j-ferguson/the-reduction-of-egodeple_b_9554874.html

● Fradera, A. (2018). Another blow for ego-depletion theory – practice counteracts the effects of diminished willpower. The British Psychological Society. Retrieved from https://digest.bps.org.uk/2018/01/29/another-blow-for-ego-depletion-theory-willpower-seems-to-replenish-over-time/

● Gailliot, M.T. et al., (2007). Self-Control Relies on Glucose as a Limited Energy Source: Willpower Is More Than a Metaphor. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92:2, 325-336.

● Hagger, M.S. et al., (2016). A Multilab Preregistered Replication of the Ego-Depletion Effect. Association for Psychological Science. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 11:4, 546-573.

● Hagger, M.S. et al., (2010). Ego Depletion and the Strength Model of Self-Control: A Meta-Analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 136:4, 495-525.

● Kahan, D., Polivy, J., Herman, P.C., (2003). Conformity and dietary disinhibition: A test of the ego‐strength model of self‐regulation. International Journal of Eating Disorders.

● Lurquin, J. H., & Miyake, A. (2017). Challenges to ego-depletion research go beyond the replication crisis: a need for tackling the conceptual crisis. Frontiers in psychology, 8, 568

● Michelioudakis, N. 22 October 2012. Psychology and ELT – Ego Depletion. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBDEJkKP2Jo&t=154s

● Moller, A.C., Deci, E.L., Ryan, R.M. (2006). Choice and Ego-Depletion: The Moderating Role of Autonomy. University of Rochester.

● SciShow. 4 May 2016. Why an Entire Field of Psychology Is in Trouble. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MDNvKXdLEM&t=373s

● Stucke, T.S., Baumeister, R.F., (2006). Ego depletion and aggressive behavior: Is the inhibition of aggression a limited resource?. European Journal of Social Psychology, 36, 1-13.

● Tice, D.M. et al., (2007). Restoring the self: Positive affect helps improve self-regulation following ego depletion. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 43, 379-384.

● Vohs, K.D. et al., (2011). Ego Depletion Is Not Just Fatigue: Evidence From a Total Sleep Deprivation Experiment. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 2:2, 166-173.

● Webb, T.L. Sheeran, P. (2003). Can implementation intentions help to overcome ego-depletion?. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 39, 279-286.

● Wikipedia. Replication Crisis. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replication_crisis

Ego-Depletion

Before we begin, let’s take a look at how ego-depletion can be described in general.

Gerbren Plantinga

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So how further?

2014

2015

2016

At this moment, we've only seen further endorsement and experiments of ego-depletion, but since 2011, researchers started to question to theory of ego-depletion...

Over the years, many researchers, psychologists and scientists have studied the phenomena and effects of Ego-Depletion, which yielded quite interesting results...

The doubts about ego-depletion caused great trouble for the entire field of psychology...

1998

1998

''The core idea behind ego depletion is that the self's acts of volition draw on some limited resource, akin to strength or energy and that, therefore, one act of volition will have a detrimental impact on subsequent volition.’’ Baumeister, R.F. et al. 1998.

Experiment

Experiment

2003

2003

Webb, T.L. and Sheeran, P

Stroop Task Webb, T.L. Sheeran, P. (2003).

Webb, T.L. and Sheeran, P. obtained evidence of ego-depletion

using a different combination of tasks than have

been employed before. Consistent with previous findings

(Baumeister et al., 1998; Muraven et al., 1998), participants

who completed a Stroop task that required voluntary

effort gave up sooner on a subsequent unsolvable

puzzle task compared to participants who did not have

to exert control on the Stroop.

Example of a stroop task

Kahan, D et al.

Dietary disinhibition Kahan, D. Polivy, J. Herman, P.C. (2003).

Not only Webb and Sheeran obtained evidence for ego-depletion, also Kahan, Polivy and Herman proved the existence of ego-depletion by asking participants to complete an Asch-type conformity task (a task in which the participants are exposed to social pressure), after they completed a taste-rating task in which food intake was measured. As predicted, restrained eaters who repeatedly exercised choice ate significantly more than did restrained eaters who did not exercise choice.

Self-Regulation

Implementation Intentions Webb, T.L. Sheeran, P. (2003).

Beside showing evidence of Ego-Depletion, Webb, T.L. and Sheeran, P also demonstrated with their experiments that performance deficits associated with ego-depletion can be prevented and offset by the use of implementation intentions.

These 'implementation intentions' provide a self-regulatory strategy for the ego-depleted participant.

The formula of an implementation intention

Self-Regulation

The implementation intention is an example of a 'Self-Regulation strategy'. Self-regulation is the ability to monitor and control our own behavior, emotions, or thoughts, altering them in accordance with the demands of the situation. It includes the abilities to inhibit first responses, to resist interference from irrelevant stimulation, and to persist on relevant tasks even when we don't enjoy them (Cook, J.L. 2014. Education.com).

Self-regulation is closely related to ego-depletion, as ego-depletion is a state of mind which undermines inhibition. It requires self-control to prevent it.

2006

Moller, A.C. et al.

Autonomous Choice and Controlled Choice Moller, A.C., Deci, E.L., Ryan, R.M. (2006)

Moller, A.C. et al. performed three experiments that supported the hypothesis that

whereas conditions representing controlled choice would be egodepleting,

conditions that represented autonomous choice would

not. In Experiment 3, the authors found significant mediation

by perceived self-determination of the relation between the choice

condition (autonomous vs. controlled) and ego-depletion as

measured by performance.

Baumeister, R.F. et al.

How to improve self-regulation Baumeister, R.F. et al. (2006)

''This article has worked from a strength model of self-regulation and sought to develop two main sets of implications for personality theory. The first is that the capacity for self-regulation can be improved through exercise. In multiple studies, research has shown that regular exertions of self-regulation lead to steady reductions in susceptibility to ego depletion.''

Further endorsement

Further endorsement of the existence of ego-depletion is explained by the second theme of this article. This theme created links between traits and behavior which can be moderated by ego depletion. In particular, ego depletion appears to reduce inhibitions, thereby affecting people who have strong inhibitory controls over particular behaviors (ranging from eating to sex to prejudice) and releasing socially undesirable behaviors that may ordinarily be subject to strict control.

Although much more research is needed, our preliminary survey suggests two conclusions: Individual differences in motivation are amplified by ego depletion. Individual differences in control are suppressed and diminished by ego depletion.

Stucke, T.S. & Baumeister, R.F.

Aggressive Behavior Stucke, T.S., Baumeister, R.F., (2006).

Stucke and Baumeister obtained evidence that limited self-regulation evokes aggressive behavior more swiftly:

''If self-regulation is a limited resource, the capacity to inhibit aggressive behavior should be lower among people who have already exercised self-regulation. In Experiment 1, participants who had to resist the urge to eat tempting food later reacted more aggressively to an insult than other participants who were allowed to eat as much as they wanted. In Experiments 2 and 3, some participants had to self-regulate by making themselves concentrate on a boring film and stifling their physical and facial movements, and afterward they, too, responded more aggressively than controls. Experiment 3 also showed that the results were not due to differential moods and that one act of self-regulation (unrelated to aggression) was sufficient to enhance subsequent aggressive responses toward the experimenter. ''

later research in 2007: Violence restrained: Effects of self-regulation and its depletion on aggression C. Nathan DeWall , Roy F. Baumeister, Tyler F. Stillman, Matthew T. Gailliot

confirm these results.

2007

2007

Tice, D.M. et al.

Positive feelings Tice, D.M. et al., (2007)

Previous work has shown that acts of self-regulation appear to deplete a psychological resource, resulting in poorer self-regulation subsequently. Four experiments using assorted manipulations and measures found that positive mood or emotion can counteract ego depletion. After an initial act of self-regulation, participants who watched a comedy video or received a surprise gift self-regulated on various tasks as well as non-depleted participants and significantly better than participants who experienced a sad mood induction, a neutral mood stimulus, or a brief rest period

Gailliot, M.T. et al.

Glucose Gailliot, M.T. et al., (2007).

The field of biology confirmed the theory of ego-depletion.

The work of Gailliot et al. suggests that self-control relies on glucose as a limited energy source. Laboratory tests

of self-control and of social behaviors showed that acts of self-control reduced blood glucose levels, low levels

of blood glucose after an initial self-control task predicted poor performance on a subsequent self-control

task, and initial acts of self-control impaired performance on subsequent self-control tasks, but consuming a glucose drink eliminated these impairments.

2010

M.S. Hagger. et al.

New endorsement for ego-depletion Hagger, M.S. et al., (2010).

Hagger et al. performed a meta-analysis of 83 studies tested the effect of ego depletion on task performance and related outcomes, alternative explanations and moderators of the effect, and additional strength model hypotheses. Results revealed a significant effect of ego depletion on self-control task performance. Significant effect sizes were found for ego depletion on effort, perceived difficulty, negative affect, subjective fatigue, and blood glucose levels. Small, nonsignificant effects were found for positive affect and self-efficacy.

Carter, E.C. and McCullough, M.E. found that the study of ego-depletion might be suffering from publication bias...

''Few models of self-control have generated as much scientific interest as has the limited strength model. One of the entailments of this model, the depletion effect, is the expectation that acts of self-control will be less effective when they follow prior acts of self-control. Results from a previous meta-analysis concluded that the depletion effect is robust and medium in magnitude (d = 0.62). However, when we applied methods for estimating and correcting for small-study effects (such as publication bias) to the data from this previous meta-analysis effort, we found very strong signals of publication bias, along with an indication that the depletion effect is actually no different from zero.

We conclude that until greater certainty about the size of the depletion effect can be established, circumspection about the existence of this phenomenon is warranted, and that rather than elaborating on the model, research efforts should focus on establishing whether the basic effect exists. We argue that the evidence for the depletion effect is a useful case study for illustrating the dangers of small-study effects as well as some of the possible tools for mitigating their influence in psychological science.''

2014

Yet again, there is great doubt about the reliability of the evidence of ego-depletion…

Vohs, K.D. et al. (Ego Depletion Is Not Just Fatigue: Evidence From a Total Sleep Deprivation Experiment) found no direct evidence that fatique causes ego-depletion, even though that is the whole case of ego-depletion.

A reading of the literature suggests that self-regulatory resource depletion and fatigue might be overlapping constructs, but direct empirical evidence is lacking. The authors put this question to the test by subjecting half of their participants to total sleep deprivation for 24 hours whereas others were rested; they crossed this factor with a self-regulation manipulation in which participants did or did not suppress their emotional reactions to a film. The authors’ measure of self-regulation was aggressive responses in a game involving blasting noise at an opponent. Contrary to expectations, there was no effect of sleep deprivation on aggression. In confirmation of the limited-resource model, the authors found that depleted participants were more aggressive than nondepleted participants (irrespective of fatigue condition). Lax self-regulation seems to be from a lack of self-regulatory capacity, not fatigue.

In 2015, Carter, E.C. et al. found in a series of meta-analytic tests of the depletion effect very little evidence that the depletion effect is a real phenomenon, at least when assessed with the methods most frequently used in the laboratory. Their results strongly challenge the idea that self-control functions as if it relies on a limited psychological or physical resource.

2011

2015

2011

The results that came from the current multilab registered replication of

the ego-depletion effect (Hagger, M.S. et al. 2016) provide evidence that, if there is

any effect, it is close to zero... leading to a Replication Crisis.. (see 2017 slide for explanation)

2016

In 2016, The Association for Psychological Science opened a registered replication report on ego-depletion in which one official experiment would be conducted by researchers in many different labs. Results of the experiments will be compared with each other.

2017

The Conceptual and Replication Crisis

''A replication crisis (or replicability crisis or reproducibility crisis) refers to a methodological crisis in science in which scientists have found that the results of many scientific studies are difficult or impossible to replicate/reproduce on.''

Replication Crisis, Wikipedia

We have seen that this is the case with the obtained data of the theory of ego-depletion.

2017

The Conceptual Crisis

In 2017, Lurquin, J.H. and Miyake, A. came to the conclusion that the theory of ego-depletion is suffering from not only a replication crisis, but also a conceptual crisis. the reasons of the conceptual crisis surrounding the ego-depletion effect has to do with three certain problems

1. Lack of clear operational definitions of self-control

2. Lack of independent empirical validation for self-control tasks

3. Lack of well-specified models that make unambiguous, falsifiable predictions

The road for 2018

According to Lurquin, J.H. and Miyake, A. 2017. The recent replication efforts have succeeded in promoting preregistration, open data, and large sample sizes, all of which improve the reproducibility of scientific work.

to resolve the issue of whether ego-depletion is a real phenomenon, it is also crucial to address the severe conceptual problems that impede the derivation and testing of specific, falsifiable predictions. This can be achieved by

2018

Better specify

the underlying resource-consumption functions, be

more explicit about critical moderating variables and systematically manipulate task

durations or attentional demands for Task 1.

Explicitly articulating an operational

definition of self-control used in a study and justify task selection with regard to that operational definition.

Conducting carefully designed correlational research (e.g., latent-variable analysis)

and/or experimental studies using the simultaneous dual-task

interference paradigm to establish that various commonly

used tasks in ego-depletion research share some underlying

commonality, namely self-control resources. It is also important to provide more objective measures of

task performance to quantify the self-control demands associated

with Task 1 performance.

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