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SELF-CONTROL: BEYOND COMMITMENT

Rachlin, Howard (1995) SELF-CONTROL: BEYOND COMMITMENT.

Short Abstract:

Self control, so important in the theory and practice of psychology, has usually been understood introspectively. This target article adopts a behavioral view of the self (as an abstract class of behavioral actions) and of self control (as an abstract behavioral pattern dominating a particular act) according to which the development of self control control is a molar/molecular conflict in the development of behavioral patterns. This subsumes the more typical view of self control as a now/later conflict in which an act of self control is a choice of a larger but later reinforcer over a smaller but sooner reinforcer. If at some future time the smaller-sooner reinforcer will be more valuable than the larger-later reinforcer, self control may be achieved through a commitment to the larger-later reinforcer prior to that point. According to some, there is in the development of self control a progressive internalization of commitment. There are theoretical and empirical problems with this view. In two experiments, one with pigeons choosing between smaller-sooner and larger-later reinforcers, the other with adult humans choosing between short-term particular and long-term abstract reinforcer, temporal patterning of choices increased self control.

Long Abstract:

Self control, so important in the theory and practice of psychology, has usually been understood introspectively. This target article adopts a behavioral view of the self (as an abstract class of behavioral actions) and of self control (as an abstract behavioral pattern dominating a particular act) according to which the development of self control control is a molar/molecular conflict in the development of behavioral patterns. This subsumes the more typical view of self control as a now/later conflict in which an act of self control is a choice of a larger but later reinforcer over a smaller but sooner reinforcer. If at some future time the smaller-sooner reinforcer will be more valuable than the larger-later reinforcer, self control may be achieved through a commitment to the larger-later reinforcer prior to that point. According to some, there is in the development of self control a progressive internalization of commitment. There are theoretical and empirical problems with this view. In two experiments, one with pigeons choosing between smaller-sooner and larger-later reinforcers, the other with adult humans choosing between short-term particular and long-term abstract reinforcer, temporal patterning of choices increased self control.

Keywords:	self-control
Subjects:	Psychology: Behavioral Analysis Biology: Animal Behavior Philosophy: Decision Theory
ID code:	bbs00000492
Deposited by:	Howard Rachlin on 01 May 2001