A scoping review of naturalistic assessments of self-control

Abstract

Self-control has received considerable attention across fields. A substantially smaller portion of the literature has focused on the availability of self-control in the moment. Our interest is a small body of research in which self-control capacity is assessed repeatedly in everyday life. This preregistered review was conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institution methodology for scoping reviews and guided by the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews: Checklist and Explanation. Sources were eligible if they examined repeated naturalistic observations of self-control and measured state self-control at least twice per day. The search identified 8116 articles. Of these, 23 were included in this review. At a broad descriptive level, state self-control fluctuated over time. High state self-control was associated with positive outcomes while state self-control deficits were associated with negative outcomes. Despite variability in measurement, there was overarching consistency across measures in studies, primarily reflecting perceived control/willpower or capacity to resist temptations.