Perceptions, Interpretations, Motivation and Self-Control

How you perceive and interpret experience is critical for your self-control.  And self-control, of course, is critical for your physical and mental health.   Often you know what to do, but you feel that you are incapable of acting on your knowledge.  That is, you believe that you have insufficient self-control.

Karen E. MacGregor and her colleagues (2017) sought to determine how an individual’s perceptions and interpretations—called “construals” in psychology— affect their self-control regarding dieting and academic success.  Emphasis was placed upon evaluating high- versus low-level construal, with the former being thoughts involving essential, unchanging features, and the latter involving non-essential, situation-specific features.  For instance, a high level diet-oriented construal would be understanding that the amount of calories contained in a food will affect one’s weight, even if the food is a nutritious, calorie-dense “non-junk” food.  And a low-level diet-oriented construal would be that you believe you can eat a large quantity of calorie-dense avocados because “they are good for you.”

The study showed that high-level construals are more facilitative of both dieting and acadamic success than are low-level-construals.  And that, in general, those who embraced the high-level did better than the low-level did.  However, persons with stronger motivation also were those for whom construals made the biggest difference. Thus, the best combination for diet and academic goals was high-construal plus high-motivation.  One would loosely conclude, then, that the MacGregor research reaffirmed the common sense and scientifically validated belief that healthful goals are best attained when thoughts (construals) and motivation (feelings/passions) align.   That said, it is important to underscore that some persons are either unaware or do not fully appreciate the importance of high-level construals, and those persons suffer the consequences.  Moreover, as the study revealed,when unhealthful temptations arise, individuals unaware or unappreciative of the role of high-level construals are at particular risk.

What is true about dieting and academic achievement tends to be generally true for all goals to enhance physical and mental lifestyle.  We need beneficial construals, beneficial motivations, and the strong self-control that they can promote.  On the other hand, let’s not fall into the simplistic notion that health is determined by one or two factors.  Construal and motivation are never enough.  One again I will reiterate what I have said many, many times.  A healthful lifestyle is best facilitated when we understand and use the understandings of our own idiosyncratic history, temperament, personality, and environments.  Each of the four dimensions influence us continually, although one or more might be primary when we attempt to achieve any particular healthful lifestyle goal.  So, when you plan for health, always include constural, motivation, and the four dimensions.   

Reference:

MacGregor, Karen E.; Carnevale, Jessica J.; Dusthimer, Nicole E.; and Fujita, Kentaro (2017).  Knowledge of the Self-Control Benefits of High-Level Versus Low-Level Construal.  Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, January. No Pagination Specified. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/pspp0000130.