Citation

Werner KM, Milyavskaya M. Soc. Personal Psychol. Compass 2019; 13(1): e12425.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Blackwell Publishing, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/spc3.12425

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Research on self-regulation has largely focused on the idea of effortful self-control, which assumes that exerting willpower will lead to greater success. However, in recent years, research has challenged this perspective and instead proposes that effortless self-regulation is more adaptive for long-term goal pursuit. Taking into consideration the burgeoning literature on effortless self-regulation, here we propose that motivation--or the reasons why we pursue our goals--plays an integral role in this process. The objective of the present paper is to highlight how motivation can play a role in how self-regulation unfolds. Specifically, we propose that pursuing goals because you want-to (vs. have-to) is associated with better goal attainment as a function of experiencing less temptations and obstacles. While the reason why want-to motivation relates to experiencing fewer obstacles has yet to be thoroughly explored, here we propose some potential mechanisms drawing from recent research on self-regulation. We also provide recommendations for future research, highlighting the importance of considering motivation in the study of self-regulatory processes.

Language: en