Breaking the Rules: Low Trait or State Self-Control Increases Social Norm Violations

Matthew T. Gailliot, Seth A. Gitter, Michael D. Baker, Roy F. Baumeister

Psychology Department, East Carolina University, Greenville, USA.
Psychology Department, Florida State University, Tallahassee, USA.
Psychology Department, Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, USA.
US Army Research Institute for the Behavioral Sciences, Ft. Benning, USA.

DOI: 10.4236/psych.2012.312159                

Abstract

Two pilot and six studies indicated that poor self-control causes people to violate social norms and rules that are effortful to follow. Lower trait self-control was associated with a greater willingness to take ethical risks and use curse words. Participants who completed an initial self-control task that reduced the capacity for self-control used more curse words and were more willing to take ethical risks than participants who completed a neutral task. Poor self-control was also associated with violating explicit rules given by the experimenter. Depleting self-control resources in a self-control exercise caused participants subsequently to talk when they had been instructed to remain silent. Low trait self-control and poor performance on a behavioral measure of self-control (the Stroop task) predicted poor compliance following experimental instructions over a 2-week span. Poor self-control thus undermines adherence to some social rules and regulations, therefore possibly contributing to a broad variety of social ills.

Keywords

Ego Depletion; Social Norms; Self-Control; Self-Regulation; Ethical Behavior; Risk Taking; Reciprocity

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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