At the Intersection of Self-Control and Emotion

In an invited talk at the 2015 APS Annual Convention in New York City, APS Fellow Michael Inzlicht posed a question that he acknowledged runs counter to some commonly held psychological theories: Is self-control an emotion? “Emotions are often seen as the enemy of self-control … I think often they get a bad reputation in psychology,” he said, referencing the dual-processing model that often pits “hot” emotions against “cold” self-discipline. He suggested that, although this model has been useful, it might sometimes be a simplification or even a mischaracterization, and that instead conflict, emotion, and self-control are linked in complex ways that should further be explored.


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