Biologische Korrelate der Selbstregulation
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Abstract
Self-regulation is considered as an ability to control one’s own thoughts, emotions and actions. Self-regulation is not domain-specific and is based on a limited strength resource. A depletion of this resource by the exertion of self-regulation is supposed to cause a state of reduced willpower called ego depletion. It is still questionable whether there are biological correlates of self-regulation that can explain this depletion. Prior research has considered glucose metabolism and heart rate variability to be such correlates. However, recent studies suggest that ego depletion is not a general phenomenon, but only occurs under certain conditions. The present study aimed to fill that gap in literature. Therefore experimental requirements for ego depletion and the relationship between blood glucose metabolism, heart rate variability, and self-regulation were investigated.
Study 1 compared two versions of the first self-regulatory task of a dual task experiment, which differed in their length. It was shown that ego depletion occurred only in the shorter task. Affect and motivation were also measured, however did not contribute to the prediction of ego depletion. In Study 2, no correlation between self-regulation and glucose metabolism was found, although, under conditions of stable blood glucose, ego depletion did not occur. Heart rate variability in the resting state significantly contributed to the prediction of the later self-regulation performance.
Overall, the current results could not support assumptions of previous research regarding self-regulation and biological correlates, and give prominence to doubts about the strength model and the assumption that glucose metabolism is linked to self-regulation. However, further research on the relationship between self-regulation and heart rate variability is needed for a better understanding of biological correlates of self-regulation. The main findings are integrated and implications for research on self-regulation and its biological correlates are discussed.