Feasibility and Efficacy of Willpower Strengthening Exercises with University Students: A Randomised Control Pilot Study
ABSTRACT
This study examined the feasibility and efficacy of implementing intense brief willpower strengthening exercises with university students. Thirty-nine university students were randomly allocated into one of three groups: willpower strengthening exercise intervention groups, 4-7-8 Hands or postural adjustments, or a control group. Participants assigned to the active intervention groups were required to practice the relevant willpower strengthening exercise every hour, for six hours per day, over three days. The high participation and compliance rates of participants in the two active intervention groups, along with positive feedback, supported the feasibility of the willpower strengthening exercises with university students. Additionally, the 4-7-8 Hands and posture groups reported directional improvements in willpower compared to the control group. Future research is recommended to evaluate the efficacy of willpower strengthening exercises over a longer time period to allow for more practice and effect time.
This study examined the feasibility and efficacy of implementing intense brief willpower strengthening exercises with university students. Thirty-nine university students were randomly allocated into one of three groups: willpower strengthening exercise intervention groups, 4-7-8 Hands or postural adjustments, or a control group. Participants assigned to the active intervention groups were required to practice the relevant willpower strengthening exercise every hour, for six hours per day, over three days. The high participation and compliance rates of participants in the two active intervention groups, along with positive feedback, supported the feasibility of the willpower strengthening exercises with university students. Additionally, the 4-7-8 Hands and posture groups reported directional improvements in willpower compared to the control group. Future research is recommended to evaluate the efficacy of willpower strengthening exercises over a longer time period to allow for more practice and effect time.
Cite this paper
Pidgeon, A. and Monteath, S. (2013) Feasibility and Efficacy of Willpower Strengthening Exercises with University Students: A Randomised Control Pilot Study. Open Journal of Social Sciences, 1, 5-11. doi: 10.4236/jss.2013.16002.
Pidgeon, A. and Monteath, S. (2013) Feasibility and Efficacy of Willpower Strengthening Exercises with University Students: A Randomised Control Pilot Study. Open Journal of Social Sciences, 1, 5-11. doi: 10.4236/jss.2013.16002.
References
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Studies of interference in serial verbal reactions. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 18, 643-662. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11031-005-7955-3 [27] Tangney, J. P., Baumeister, R. F., & Boone, A. L. (2004). High self-control predicts good adjustment, less pathology, better grades and interpersonal success. Journal of Personality, 72, 271-324. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.0022-3506.2004.00263.x [28] Wegner, D. M., Schneider, D. J., Carter, S. R., & White, T. L. (1987). Paradoxical effects of thought suppression. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 53, 5-13. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.53.1.5
[1] American Psychological Association (2010). Stress in America findings. http://www.apa.org/index.aspx [2] Baumeister, R. F., & Tierney, J. (2011). Willpower. New York, NY: Penguin Group. [3] Baumeister, R. F., Bratslavsky, E., Muraven, M., & Tice, D. M. (1998). Ego depletion: Is the active self a limited resource? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74, 1252-1265. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.74.5.1252 [4] Baumeister, R. F., Gailliot, M., DeWall, C. N., & Oaten, M. (2006). Self-regulation and personality: How interventions increase regulatory success, and how depletion moderates the effects of traits on behavior. Journal of Personality, 74, 1-29. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6494.2006.00428.x [5] Baumeister, R. F., Heatherton, T. F., & Tice, D. M. (1994). Losing control: How and why people fail at self-regulation. Sand Diego, CA: Academic Press. [6] Bebebe Co. (2012). The Stroop effect. iTunes. https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/the-stroop-effect/id472707380?mt=8 [7] Brown, K. W., & Ryan, R. M. (2003). The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84, 822-848. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.84.4.822 [8] Chiesa, A., & Malinowski, P. (2011). Mindfulness-based approaches: Are they all the same? Journal of Clinical Psychology, 67, 404-424. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jclp.20776 [9] Cohen, S., & Williamson, G. (1988). Perceived stress in a probability sample of the United States. In S. Spacapan, & S. Oskamp (Eds.), The social psychology of health: Claremont Symposium on Applied Social Psychology (pp. 31-67). Newbury Park, CA: Sage. [10] Cotton, S. J., Dollard, M. F., & de Jonge, J. (2002). Stress and student job design: Satisfaction, well-being, and performance in university students. International Journal of Stress Management, 9, 147-162. http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1015515714410 [11] Davidson, D. J., Zacks, R. T., & Williams, C. C. (2003). Stroop interference, practice, and aging. Aging Neuropsychology and Cognition, 10, 85-98. http://dx.doi.org/10.1076/anec.10.2.85.14463 [12] de Ridder, D. T. D., Lensvelt-Mulders, G., Finkenauer, C., Stok, F. M., & Baumeister, R. F. (2012). A meta-analysis of how trait self-control relates to a wide range of behaviors. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 16, 76-99. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1088868311418749 [13] Friese, M., Messner, C., & Schaffner, Y. (2012). Mindfulness meditation counteracts self-control depletion. Consciousness and Cognition, 21, 1016-1022. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.concog.2012.01.008 [14] Graham, C., & Irish, K. (2010). Meaning to pause. http://www.meaningtopause.com [15] Hanson, T. L., Drumheller, K., Mallard, J. McKee, C., & Schlegel, P. (2013). Cell phones, text messaging, and Facebook: Competing time demands of today’s college students. College Teaching, 59, 23-30. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/87567555.2010.489078 [16] http://dx.doi.org/10.1348/135910706X96481 [17] Hughes, B. M. (2005). Study, examinations, and stress: Blood pressure assessments in college students. Educational Review, 57, 21-36. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0013191042000274169 [18] Institute for Mindfulness Studies (2011). 4-7-8 Hands. http://thelearnedhand.org/Learned_Hand_Exercises.html [19] Lee, E. (2012). Review of the psychometric evidence of the Perceived Stress Scale. Asian Nursing Research, 6, 121-127. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anr.2012.08.004 [20] Muraven, M., & Baumeister, R. F. (2000). Self-regulation and depletion of limited resources: Does self-control resemble a muscle? Psychological Bulletin, 126, 247-259. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.126.2.247 [21] Muraven, M., Baumeister, R. F., & Tice, D. M. (1999). Longitudinal improvement of self-regulation through practice: Building self-control strength through repeated exercise. The Journal of Social Psychology, 139, 446-457. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00224549909598404 [22] Oaten, M., & Cheng, K. (2006a). Improved self-control: The benefits of a regular program of academic study. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 28, 1-16. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00224549909598404 [23] Oaten, M., & Cheng, K. (2006b). Longitudinal gains in self-regulation from regular physical exercise. British Journal of Health Psychological Society, 11, 717-733. [24] Segal, Z. V., Williams, J. M., & Teasdale, J. D. (2002). Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression, New York, NY: The Guilford Press. [25] Simons, J. S., & Gaher, R. M. (2005). The Distress Tolerance Scale: Development and validation of a self-report measure. Motivation and Emotion, 29, 83-102. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11031-005-7955-3 [26] Stroop, J. R. (1935). Studies of interference in serial verbal reactions. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 18, 643-662. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11031-005-7955-3 [27] Tangney, J. P., Baumeister, R. F., & Boone, A. L. (2004). High self-control predicts good adjustment, less pathology, better grades and interpersonal success. Journal of Personality, 72, 271-324. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.0022-3506.2004.00263.x [28] Wegner, D. M., Schneider, D. J., Carter, S. R., & White, T. L. (1987). Paradoxical effects of thought suppression. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 53, 5-13. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.53.1.5