Willpower or Strategy? Self-Control Beliefs and Strategies in Collectivist and Individualist Contexts

Abstract

Is self-control always dependent on willpower? Recent research has categorized self-control beliefs into two types: a process-oriented view argues that self-control fundamentally relies on willpower, whereas a result-oriented view contends that any psychological or behavioral process inhibiting impulses qualifies as self-control, regardless of willpower involvement. Furthermore, differences in self-control beliefs influence the self-control strategies. However, few studies have examined the differences in self-control beliefs and strategies from a macro-social and cultural perspective. This study aims to explore cultural differences in self-control beliefs and strategies from collectivist and individualistic perspectives and examines whether strategies differences stem from cultural disparities in self-control beliefs. Study 1 recruited 188 Chinese participants and 147 American participants, utilizing situational materials to measure self-control beliefs. Study 2 included 273 Chinese participants and 284 American participants, employing the Self-Control Belief Scale and Self-Control Strategy Scale to measure beliefs and strategies. Results showed that American participants were more likely to believe that self-control requires willpower, leading them to prefer willpower-based strategies. In contrast, Chinese participants were more inclined to view situation and attention strategies as valid forms of self-control, which in turn led them to favor these strategies. This study highlights cross-cultural differences in self-control beliefs and strategies, underscoring the role of cultural influences in shaping self-control processes.