ABSTRACT
Instances in which people fail to act in accordance with what they understand to be the right course of action despite their best intentions are ubiquitous. Dieters eat unhealthy foods, smokers continue to smoke, and the sedentary fail to take the necessary steps to be more physically active. These failures of self-control can lead to poorer health. Research suggests, for example, that more than 50% of mortality from the leading causes of death could be reduced if people simply ate a healthier diet, maintained a reasonable weight, and exercised regularly (e.g., Knoops et al., 2004) – behaviors that all appear to require self-control. Thus, improving health requires understanding self-control. In this chapter, we describe two types of self-control processes: proactive and reactive self-control. We review what research reveals about the psychological mechanisms and behavioral strategies involved in each type and how these ultimately lead to or undermine self-control success.
