Vohs , Ciarocco and Baumeister , 2005

1. Self-Regulation and Self-Presentation: Regulatory Resource Depletion Impairs Impression Management and Effortful Self-Presentation Depletes Regulatory Resources Vohs, Ciaroccoand Baumeister, 2005

2. Today We’ll Discuss: Self Regulation & Self Presentation Impact of maintaining a socially desirable image • Resource depletion • Impact on further self regulation abilities • How decreased self-regulation impacts attempts at maintaining socially desirable behaviours Introvert at a social gathering It’s exhausting Eventually desire for social desirability decreases

3. Hypothesis: • Self-presentation demands and depletes self-regulatory processes Experimental Manipulation Deplete Resources (IV) Measure self regulation abilities (DV) Compare with control (no depleted resources)

4. Method: • P’s create a speech for an accepting or sceptical audience (IV) • Speech about self - Be competent & likable or be yourself • P’s restrain emotional expression during an upsetting video (DV) • Video depicts inhumane violence towards helpless animals • Compare facial expressions to control • Expressions were coded, added and compared to control

5. Results 30 Male P’s 30 Female P’s p < .01 Participants striving to be competent and likable in front of a sceptical audience were less likely to restrain emotional expression while watching an upsetting video than the control group with an accepting audience.

6. Other Studies: Reversal of IV and DV • Watch video, then measure quality of impression mgmt. Found that when self regulation resources were depleted, ability to behave in a socially desirable way decreased.

7. Discussion: • Creating a positive socially desirable image depletes self-regulatory processes. • Depletion of self-regulatory processes can result in a decrease in the ability to regulate self-presentation. • Practice makes perfect Limitations: • Cultural and age differences? more practice – less self-regulation required

8. Future Directions: • Can we change an introvert into an extrovert? • Are there any personality traits we can’t change? • If introversion is genetic, but it can be changed; can self-regulation impact epigenetics? Question to Consider: • If we know resources will be depleted, should we work this into our implementation intentions? What types of activities will restore my self regulation resources? • i.e. after the party, my self regulation ability may be hindered – before going home to binge on my diet – I will go to the park to restore my resources. How long should go for?