Why do so many of us give up on those New Year's resolutions to lose weight orcurb luxury spending? A new study in the Journal of Consumer Research says ithas to do with the way our goals intersect with our natures.
The pathbreaking study by authors Cait Poynor (University of Pittsburgh) andKelly L. Haws (Texas A&M University) is one of the first to try to understandwhy some people have more trouble than others regulating behaviors. It uncoverssome important differences in the way people categorize "necessities" and"luxuries."
"The data demonstrates the basic differences among consumers in their tendencyto embrace indulgence or restriction goals," explain the authors. "Even whenpursuing the same goal, high and low self-control consumers create dramaticallydifferent categories of goal-consistent and goal-inconsistent options."
In three studies, the researchers examined the process individuals cycle throughwhen trying to make a change. First, they select goals, then they form"implementation intentions," deciding which options and behaviors are consistentwith the goals. "For example, you might make a budget, deciding which items arenecessities and which are luxuries, buy a diet book, which tells you which foodsyou may and may not eat, or organize your weekly schedule to include worksessions and time to participate in leisure activities," the authors explain.
"Importantly, results suggest that the goal pursuit process can appear to proceedsmoothly but in fact be derailed during this second phase."
Where many people get tripped up is when their goals require them to overcometheir default tendencies. For example, people the researchers categorized ashaving "low self-control" tended to do better with "indulgence goals," likeenjoying purchases more. Individuals with higher self-control preferred"restriction goals," which led them to categorize fewer items as necessities.
"The most effective self-control interventions may vary depending on one's selfcontrollevel and the nature of one's chosen goal," the authors conclude.