Chapter 3 - The Problem of Self-Regulation

Aggression

Can pose a great threat to a groups well- being.

Antisocial behavior

Acting in ways that directly threaten the health, well- being, and lives of other social actors in the group.

Ego depletion

Self-regulation becomes fatigued because an inner resource of self-regulatory energy has been used up.

C

________ + A= secure attachment relationships, better marriages, less divorces, more investment in family roles, health + well- being.

Conscience

Consists of rule-compatible conduct and moral emotions.

Japan

In ________, self- awareness is an explicit norm.

Externalizing behaviors

When children and adolescents engage in aggressive activities.

Serotonin

Implicated in the development of EC and self- regulation.

Self-regulation

Depends on the observation of the actor by an audience, be that audience in the real world or in the actors mind.

Sociopath

Adult that express no empathy for other humans or no remorse for their antisocial behavior.

Better

Securely attached toddlers ________ regulate their emotions and their behavior.

dimension of temperament

Is a(n) ________.

Collectivist societies

In _______ caregivers dampen down expressions of exuberance, joy, and anger because strong emotional responses threaten collective harmony. They encourage low-arousal positive emotions.

affluent families

Children from economically deprived families show lower EC than children from ________.

Aggression

________ can bind in- groups together (example: war)

Self-regulation

Acts like a muscle that becomes fatigued from overuse.

How we can regulate ourselves

control our feelings, impulses, and behaviors to maximize the chances of positive outcomes and minimize the chances of negative outcomes (social exclusion)

Self-regulation depends on

the observation of the actor by an audience, be that audience in the real world or in the actors mind

Ex

experiences with mirrors

Self-regulation

like a muscle that becomes fatigued from overuse

Ego depletion

self-regulation becomes fatigued because an inner resource of self-regulatory energy has been used up

Emotions

give you advice on how things are going inside and outside by alerting you to opportunities for reward and by warning you of danger

How to regulate your emotions

by making them more advisory than obligatory

→ Individualist societies

caregivers encourage high-arousal positive emotions in their infants (joy + excitement)

→ Collectivist societies

caregivers dampen down expressions of exuberance, joy, and anger because strong emotional responses = threaten collective harmony

6 months

regulation of emotions start

Securely attached toddlers

better regulation of their emotions and their behavior

Most effective strategy

distraction

Effortful control (EC)

effort exerted to control ones impulses by developing a course of action to keep one focused on a long-term goal in the presence of a short-term distraction

Conscience

consists of rule-compatible conduct and moral emotions

Key moral emotions for the development of conscience

empathy and guilt

Executive attention network

network activated in situations in which a person needs to detect errors in the environment, cope with conflicting cognitive appraisals, overcome habitual or automatic response patterns or monitor their own behavior in the face of competing demands

Brain region involved

Prefrontal cortex (planning complex social behavior) + Anterior cingulate cortex (address difficult cognitive problems through spindle cells)

Serotonin

implicated in the development of EC and self-regulation

Conscientiousness (C)

characteristics such as hardworking, self-discplined, responsible, reliable, dutiful, well organized, perservering

Agreeableness (A)

characteristics such as love, empathy, friendliness, cooperation, care

Aggression can bind in-groups together (example

war)

Antisocial behavior

acting in ways that directly threaten the health, well-being, and lives of other social actors in the group

Externalizing behaviors

when children and adolescents engage in aggressive activities

Sociopath

adults that express no empathy for other humans or no remorse for their antisocial behavior

Immune

Social rejection acts on the body by compromising the ______ function

Self-regulation

5 of the 7 deadly Christian sins involve a failure in ________

Japan

In ____, self-awareness is an explicit norm

Emotions

Give you advice on how things are going inside and outside by alerting you to opportunities for reward and by warning you of danger

Advisory

You can regulate your emotions by making them more _____ than obligatory

High-arousal

In individualist societies, caregivers encourage _____ positive emotions in their infants

6 months

At ____ of age, regulation of emotions start

Effortful control (EC)

Effort exerted to control one’s impulses by developing a course of action to keep one focused on a long-term goal in the presence of a short-term distraction.

Girls

Early on, who shows a better EC (girls or boys)?

Empathy and guilt

Key moral emotions for the development of conscience

Executive attention network

Network activated in situations in which a person needs to detect errors in the environment, cope with conflicting cognitive appraisals, overcome habitual or automatic response patterns or monitor their own behavior in the face of competing demands

Prefrontal cortex and Anterior cingulate cortex

Brain regions in the executive attention network

High serotonergic function

Being efficient and adaptive

Low serotonergic function

Being inefficient and maladaptive

Primitive mode

Outside of consciousness, impulsive, reactive, implicit, associative

Secondary mode

Conscious thought, rational decision making, deliberative, reflective, strategic, logical

2nd, 1st

When there is self-regulation, the ____ mode overrides the _____ mode

Conscientiousness (C) and Agreeableness (A)

Traits of adult personality set by EC

Conscientiousness (C)

Characteristics such as hardworking, self-disciplined, responsible, reliable, dutiful, well organized, persevering

Agreeableness (A)

Characteristics such as love, empathy, friendliness, cooperation, care

Aggressive/Antisocial

Deficiencies in EC and low A/C leads to the development of __________ behavior

17 years old

Age at which antisocial and criminal behavior peaks