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<p>Self control is affected by self-regulatory strength depletion (Hagger et al., 2010) as well as construal-level mindset (Fujita et al., 2006). However, two conflicting perspectives have emerged predicting differential interactive effects of construals and depletion. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the independent and interactive effects of construal levels and self-control strength in an effortful cycling exercise task. Using a randomized 2 X 2 factorial design, undergraduate participants (<em>N </em>= 67, <em>n</em> = 34 women) completed a baseline cycling task, followed by a self-control depletion manipulation (Stroop task vs. quiet rest; Wallace & Baumeister, 2002), a construal-level manipulation (category vs. exemplar naming task; Fujita et al., 2006), and then a 10-minute strenuous cycling test trial. The results showed no main effects for either self-control strength depletion or construal level (<em>p</em> > .20). However there was a near-significant interaction effect (<em>p </em>= .07) indicating the depleted group outperformed the non-depleted group in the low-construal condition, whereas the opposite effect occurred in the high-construal condition. The results provide novel insights of the effects of self-control strength depletion and construal mindsets on exercise performance and implications for the design of construal level and self-control depletion research.</p> / Master of Science (MSc)

Previous research on Temporal Self-Appraisal Theory demonstrated that people make downward comparisons to their past selves. Researchers have discussed this tendency to denigrate past selves as a self-esteem maintenance strategy; however, little research has been done on how people recall their past selves following active threats to their self-esteem. Reconstruing one’s past self for self-enhancement may lead to changes in construal level. I conducted three studies in which participants were randomly assigned to either an intelligence self-esteem threat or control condition and then tasked to recall an autobiographical memory, rate attributes of their recalled past self, and complete a measure of construal level. In the pilot study (N = 113), participants were free to recall any memory of their choosing. In Studies 1 and 2, participants recalled and rated two memories from early high-school: pre- and post-threat manipulation. Participants in Study 1 (N = 240) recalled their academic experience, while participants in Study 2 (N = 243) recalled their interpersonal relationships. A pattern emerged across studies suggesting that when people recall autobiographical memories related to the domain in which their self-esteem has been threatened (an academic memory and intelligence threat), threatened participants are more likely to denigrate their past selves (lower endorsement of positive self-attributes post-manipulation than pre-test) than controls in threat-relevant traits (competence, knowledge). This pattern is accompanied by an increased likelihood to recall positive transformations and periods of growth, as opposed to stability. However, a relationship with construal level was not observed. Further, when people recall autobiographical memories unrelated to the domain in which their self-esteem has been threatened (an interpersonal memory and intelligence threat), threatened participants are more likely to idealize their past selves (higher endorsement of positive self-attributes post-manipulation than pre-test) than controls in threat-irrelevant traits (likeable, attractive). However, this pattern was only observed for those who demonstrated fixed mindsets, emphasizing stability, and was not associated with an impact on construal level. / Psychology

The prevalence of work and family in people’s lives combined with limited time and resources often results in a moral decision between work and family, posing a dilemma between hedonistic values for work and altruistic values for family. This study aimed to understand the processes of decision-making in work-family dilemmas and tested three approaches. Therefore, the construal-level theory, time perspectives and logic of appropriateness were introduced. In line with research on construal-level theory and dilemmas, the impact of psychological distance and construal level theory on the decision was examined. Operationalizing social distance, participants were asked to either advise a closely related person (group 1) or someone they just met (group 2) on four work-family dilemmas. The total sample consisted of 212 participants from Germany (49.5%), Sweden (35.8%) and other countries (14.2%). t-tests between the two treatment groups did not reveal significant differences in the dilemma advice (p &gt; .05). Exploratory analyses did not find time perspectives to be related to the decision (p &gt; .005) but work-family centrality was found to be significantly associated to the decision-making in the dilemma (p &lt;.005). With the limitations of the study in mind, the construal level theory could not be supported but values have shown to impact attitudinal decisions, supporting the logic of appropriateness. In work-family conflicts, it, therefore, does not matter whom one advises but whether the advisor values work or family more, influences the given advice. Based on this study, implications for further research are pointed out.