Self-control in everyday life: Ethos, implicit theories and enhancement strategies

The proposed project addresses the role of self-control in everyday life. The self-control construct, often referred to as “willpower” in everyday life, not only receives considerable attention in psychological research but also is highly relevant to lay people. New technological developments and products under the umbrella term of ‘cognitive enhancement’ address this pronounced interest by promising new options to increase willpower whenever needed. In this project, different strands of research are brought together to address the question of how salience of a societal norm of self-control and lay theories of self-control affect public interest in such new developments. The question is addressed by three empirical studies, including survey, experimental and longitudinal work.