Impulsivity and its Relationship to Persistence During an Ego-Depleted State

Abstract

The power to control or override one’s thoughts, emotions, urges, and behavior is a central function of the self and a fundamental key to success in life (Baumeister, Vohs, & Tice, 2007). This ability enables individuals to resist temptation, delay gratification, and to persist at demanding tasks. Research conducted by Baumeister and colleagues (1998) has demonstrated that any act of self-control results in the depletion of a limited resource akin to energy. Furthermore, once in a depleted state, individuals have difficulty persisting at subsequent tasks requiring self-control. These findings raise questions about individual differences in self-regulatory ability. This study examines the relationship between self-regulation and impulsivity. More specifically, the purpose was to observe how impulsiveness scores relate to persistence on a spatial cognitive task during an ego-depleted state.