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Research Group: Self-Regulation and Health

Even if human beings are capable of more self-regulation than other animals, however, their capacity is far less than what many would regard as ideal, and self-regulation failures are central to the majority of health problems that plague individuals in modern societies.

Failure to inhibit the impulse to eat is in part responsible for obesity, for example. Failure to control anger can result in interpersonal aggression, and failure to control negative thoughts may lead to depression and anxiety. Many such failures are unplanned or are experienced to be beyond control – they are lapses of self-regulation rather than intended acts. Zeal in self-regulating, on the other hand, can also be maladaptive, as it is associated with inhibition of emotional expression and authentic behaviour.

Why do people act contrary to their intentions or feel out of control? Where is the right balance between control and relaxation? What factors determine self-regulatory strength, i.e. the ability to meet self-regulatory demands such as inhibiting impulses, making decisions, persisting at difficult tasks, and controlling emotions? Can self-regulation be trained?