abstract: ABSTRACT Research on self-control theory (Gottfredson & Hirschi, 1990) consistently supports its' central proposition that low self-control significantly affects crime. The theory includes other predictions, which have received far less empirical scrutiny. Among these is the argument that self-control is developed early in childhood and that individual differences then persist over time. Gottfredson and Hirschi contend that once established by age ten, self-control remains relatively stable over one's life-course (stability postulate). To determine the empirical status of Gottfredson and Hirschi's "stability postulate," a meta-analysis on existing empirical studies was conducted. Results for this study support the contentions made by Gottfredson and Hirschi, however the inclusion of various moderating variables significantly influenced this relationship. Keywords: self-control, self-control stability, absolute stability, relative stability / Dissertation/Thesis / Appendix / M.S. Criminology and Criminal Justice 2013

The Rosenbaum Self Control Schedule is a self-report instrument developed to assess individual tendencies to apply self-control methods to the solution of behavioral problems. Tested on Hebrews and English-speaking Americans, it was found to transfer easily from one situation to the other. When administered in a battery of self-report questionnaires to South African university students it was found that while means of the total sample were similar to those reported overseas, the means of black and white students within the sample were significantly different from each other, with black students having higher self-control scores than the white students in the study and higher than those reported in previous studies. The study was repeated in this research project using a larger group of black students. The finding of significantly higher self-control scores was replicated. This finding was not due to response set, either acquiescence or social desirability, although black subjects were found to be more subject to social desirability response set. Distributions of the samples showed a group of low scoring white subjects for which there was no equal in the black sample. The findings suggest that black university students in South Africa have high levels of learned resoursefulness. This may be due to a selection process reflecting the relative difficulty with which black students reach university level - difficulties relating to student unrest, educational and financial limitations and economic and social drawbacks so that only those students with moderate to exceptional levels of problem solving stategy skills do succeed. Such individuals should be good candidates for cognitive therapies. Item and factor analyses showed the SCS to be psychometrically adequate for the white group but were much less conclusive for the black sample. In this group, a lower Cronbach's alpha was obtained and the factor analysis was less clear.

<p>My dissertation analyzes the overlooked character types of <i>akrasia </i>(un-self-control) and <i>enkrateia </i>(self-control) in Aristotle’s ethics. In Chapter 1, I argue for the thesis that <i>akrasia </i>and <i>enkrateia </i>are character types, or settled psychological dispositions, definable in terms of unique un-self-controlled and self-controlled relations to choice-making. In Chapters 2 and 3, I argue for the thesis that agents do not express these character types only in temperance’s practical domain; rather, agents can express <i>akrasia</i> and <i>enkrateia</i> in any practical domain where one’s reason can conflict with one’s desire, so the character types have wide ranges of expression. More specifically, in Chapter 2, I develop a distinction between strict forms of the character types, which agents express in temperance’s practical domain, and loose forms of the character types, which agents express in other practical domains (e.g., in courage’s practical domain). I also argue that the strict and loose forms of each of the character types are united according to the ontological and terminological relation of metaphor, or inclusive resemblance. In Chapter 3, I draw two lines of psychological justification for the view that <i>akrasia </i>and <i>enkrateia </i>are wide-ranging character types and respond to some scholarly objections. In Chapter 4, I build an account of ethical practical syllogisms and differentiate them from non-ethical practical syllogisms; I argue that an agent expresses her character type through each feature of an ethical practical syllogism (i.e., not only through the enacted choice that concludes an ethical practical syllogism, but also through the propositions she exercises in it). Finally, in Chapter 5, I construct and analyze loose akratic and enkratic practical syllogisms in a variety of practical domains to show that <i>akrasia </i>and <i>enkrateia </i>are character types with wide ranges of expression.<b></b></p>

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / This study examined effects of ostracism on psychological well-being and self-control and the roles of the personality traits hope, optimism, and forgiveness as moderators of these effects. Undergraduate students (N=104) were randomly assigned to be included or excluded in a computerized ball-toss game, Cyberball. Facets of psychological well-being examined included belonging and self-esteem. Participants also completed cognitive and physical self-control measures via tracing and handgrip tasks. Ostracized participants experienced less belonging, but there was no significant difference between groups on self-esteem. Ostracized participants persisted for less time on the tracing task. There were no significant differences between groups for performance on the handgrip task. None of the personality traits were found to moderate the effects of ostracism on psychological well-being or self-control. Results are discussed in terms of implications and recommendations for future researchers.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Delaware, 2006. / Principal faculty advisor: Robert F. Simons, Dept. of Psychology. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (PhD(NT)--Universiteit van Pretoria, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 260-280).

The purpose of this study was to determine under which of several conditions preschool children would delay gratification longer given the choice between a smaller immediate, and a larger delayed reward in a non-instrumental paradigm.Prior to the experiment 70 subjects from a pool of 81 subjects were randomly assigned to 8 treatment groups with 4 males and 3 females in each group. When a subject was eliminated from the study another subject of the same sex was randomly selected from the remaining pool of subjects and assigned to the treatment condition. In all 31 males and 24 females completed the experiment. -Four experimenters, 2 male and 2 female, were randomly assigned to subjects such that experimenter sex, subject sex, and experimental condition were distributed evenly across cells.In each group the preschool child could obtain a less preferred reward immediately or wait for-a a more preferred reward. 1ne eight treatment groups varied subject sex, nature of the distractor, degree of distraction, and presence of reward. Reward presence was varied by either leaving the rewards on a table in front of the subject during the waiting period or covering the rewards and placing them under the table. Nature of distractor, internal or external, was varied by leaving the subject to his own thought distractions (internal), or by making paper and crayons available to the subject during the waiting period (external). Degree of distraction, structured or non-structured, was varied by the experimenter informing the subject of pleasant activities to engage in during the waiting period (structured) or by the experimenter refraining from making suggestions for activities (non-structured).The data were subjected to a univariate analysis of variance. The F value which was obtained for subject sex was Statistically significant at the .01 level with female subect3 waiting longer than male subjects. The first null h7-pothesis that there would be no statistically significant differences between males and females was, therefore, rejected. The F values for the other three null hypotheses: there will be'no statistically significant difference between those subjects waiting under the conditions of external distractor and those subjects waiting under the condition of internal distractor; there will be no statistically significant difference between those subjects waiting under the condition of a positive structured task and those waiting under the condition of a neutral unstructured task; and there will be no statistically significant difference between those subjects waiting under the condition of reward present and those subjects waiting under the condition of reward absent failed to be significant at the .05 level of confidence.Because three of the four major null hypotheses failed to be rejected and because the study was a partial replication, the data were further subjected to a series of post-hoc analyses in an attempt to account for differences between the present study and previous studies. Analyses of criterion time; subject age; experimenter sex, subject sex, and individual experimenter differences; preference for the rewards; use of the materials; and testing order failed to account for differences between studies.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2007. / Title from title screen (site viewed May. 20, 2008). PDF text: v, 99 p. : ill. (some col.) ; 720 K. UMI publication number: AAT 3284308. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in microfilm and microfiche formats.

Honors project (B.A.) -- Carson-Newman College, 2009. / Project advisor: Laura Wadlington. Includes bibliographical references (p. 51-55).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Florida State University, 2005. / Advisor: Dr. Charles M. Dorn, Florida State University, College of Visual Arts and Dance, Dept. of Art Education. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed June 9, 2005). Document formatted into pages; contains x, 150 pages. Includes bibliographical references.