Moderating Role Of Implicit Theories About Willpower To Ego Depletion Effect

The core of the best performance is self-control in the athletic sports field.The extraordinary and disordered performance in the sports events can be explained by a variety of different self-control theories,in which the most concerned is the strength model of self-control.In support for the ego depletion effect,there are an impressive array of empirical research.However,increasing evidence questions this model in recent years.For instance,ego depletion effects is affected by motivation,expectations,theories about self-control and other moderators.Through three studies,this paper tested the moderated effect of implicit theories about willpower on ego depletion effect.Study 1 is focusing on Chinese localization of three questionnaires,including items to measure implicit theories about willpower,manipulation of the questionnaire towards limited-resource theory and manipulation of the questionnaire towards nonlimited-resource theory.The English version of the three questionnaires are converted into Chinese version,which have acceptable reliability and validity.Through the dual task paradigm,Study 2 measures theories about willpower to test moderated effect of implicit theories about willpower on ego depletion effect.Study 2 includes two experiments.The two dependent variables are cognitive self-control task(experiment 2-1)and behavioral self-control task(experiment 2-2)respectively.Study 2 showed that measuring implicit theories about willpower moderated ego depletion effect.The more participants endorsed a limited-resource theory,the stronger the ego depletion effect were;the less participants endorsed a nonlimited-resource theory,the weaker the ego depletion effect were.Similarly,through the dual task paradigm,Study 3 measures theories about willpower to test moderated effect of implicit theories about willpower on ego depletion effect with causal relationship.Study 3 includes two experiments.The two dependent variables are cognitive self-control task(experiment 3-1)and behavioral self-control task(experiment 3-2)respectively.Study 3 showed that manipulating implicit theories about willpower moderated ego depletion effect about behavioral self-control performance.The participants endorsed a limited-resource theory have ego depletion effect;The participants endorsed a nonlimited-resource theory have not ego depletion effect(experiment 3-2).However,there was not moderated effect on ego depletion in the cognitive self-control task(experiment 3-1).The theoretical significance of this study: our results suggest that we need to pay attention to whether the core assumption of the strength model of self-control can be hold,and the implicit theories of willpower is likely to be the boundary condition of ego depletion effect.The practical significance of this study: our results suggest that to guide athletes endorse the a nonlimited-resource theory of willpower,may be benefit to reduce the ego depletion effect in training and competition,and to improve self-control ability.