Self-control theory holds that human nature consists of selfish impulses whose satisfaction often entails offending. Modern behavioural science has discerned emotional systems and cognitive biases underlying tendencies to engage in prosocial and self-directed behaviours, which themselves predict offending. Many of these tendencies appear in the construct of self-control, but are not sufficiently dealt with by life-course criminology. This paper presents an expanded model of human nature that implies that self-control is factorially-complex, containing self-regulation; prosociality (tendencies to form social bonds and engage in social reciprocity); and self-direction (tendencies to work on one's own long-term behalf without external sanctions). This model also suggests that the construct of opportunity should be expanded to include opportunities for prosocial and self-directed behaviours in addition to crime and deviance.
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