Cynthia de las Fuentes, PhD President at American Psychological Association | Official website
Washington — In a recent study published by the American Psychological Association, research suggests that individuals who rely on willpower to resist temptations and achieve their goals are perceived as more trustworthy compared to those who use external commitment strategies. Lead author Ariella Kristal, PhD, from Columbia University, highlighted the historical perspective on self-control methods, stating, "The knowledge that people can use external commitment strategies to overcome self-control problems has existed in some form for thousands of years."
The research, conducted in collaboration with Julian Zlatev, PhD, of Harvard Business School, aimed to explore how people's use of commitment strategies influences others' perceptions of them. The findings, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, revealed that individuals employing commitment strategies were viewed as less trustworthy than those relying solely on willpower.
Kristal noted a key observation from the study, stating, "People appear particularly hesitant to adopt commitment strategies when their use will be made public." This reluctance was evident even when participants recognized the effectiveness of commitment strategies over willpower alone. The researchers suggested that the choice to use external aids for self-control may signal a perceived deficiency in an individual's character, leading to potential trustworthiness concerns.
The implications of these findings extend to the development of programs and initiatives designed to assist individuals in achieving their goals. By understanding the interpersonal judgments associated with self-control strategy choices, it may be possible to address barriers that prevent the adoption of beneficial commitment strategies. Kristal emphasized the importance of considering how external strategies are perceived in promoting effective self-control methods.
The study, titled "Going beyond the self in self-control: Interpersonal consequences of commitment strategies," underscores the need to further investigate the role of trustworthiness in shaping individuals' approaches to goal attainment. For more information, interested parties can contact Ariella Kristal or Julian Zlatev via email.
