Why are people with high self-control happier? The effect of trait self-control on happiness as mediated by regulatory focus

Tracy T L Cheung*, Marleen Gillebaart, Floor Kroese, Denise De Ridder

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Background: While self-control has often been related to positive outcomes in life such as higher academic achievements and better health, recent insights reveal that people with high trait self-control (TSC) may even experience greater life satisfaction or happiness. Objective: The current study further scrutinizes this potential association between TSC and happiness, and examines how regulatory focus, defined as the way people frame and direct their goal pursuit strategies, plays a role in this relationship. Accordingly, the present study examines the mediating role of regulatory-focus (promotion and prevention focus) on the relationship between TSC and happiness. Method: Data was collected from 545 individuals (65.9% female, Mage= 27.52 years) regarding their TSC, regulatory focus, and happiness. Results: Mediation analyses demonstrate that TSC positively predicts happiness, while this effect was partially mediated by relatively more promotion focus and less prevention focus. Conclusion: Results suggest that people with higher TSC are happier possibly because they are: (1) more promotion-focused on acquiring positive gains thereby facilitating more approach-oriented behaviors, and (2) less prevention-focused on avoiding losses thereby reducing avoidance-oriented behaviors. These findings are relevant for topical scientific debates regarding the underlying mechanisms of self-control regarding initiatory and inhibitory behaviors.

Original languageEnglish
Article number722
JournalFrontiers in Psychology
Volume5
Issue numberJUL
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2014

Keywords

  • Happiness
  • Prevention
  • Promotion
  • Regulatory focus
  • Trait self-control

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