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Cited by 1,361Behavioral Health and InterventionsNeural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesDecision-Making and Behavioral Economics

Emotional distress regulation takes precedence over impulse control: If you feel bad, do it!

Tice, Dianne M., Bratslavsky, Ellen, Baumeister, Roy F.·2001·Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
DOI 10.1037/0022-3514.80.1.53
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Abstract

Why do people's impulse controls break down during emotional distress? Some theories propose that distress impairs one's motivation or one's ability to exert self-control, and some postulate self-destructive intentions arising from the moods. Contrary to those theories, Three experiments found that believing that one's bad mood was frozen (unchangeable) eliminated the tendency to eat fattening snacks (Experiment 1), seek immediate gratification (Experiment 2), and engage in frivolous procrastination (Experiment 3). The implication is that when people are upset, they indulge immediate impulses to make themselves feel better, which amounts to giving short-term affect regulation priority over other self-regulatory goals.

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Crossref · 10.1037/0022-3514.80.1.53

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91 of 91 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • When working with aversive tasks, the tendency to be diverted by temptations increases, as the student will be motivated to escape the aversive situation as well as divert to something attractive.

    “When working with aversive tasks (→Task aversiveness), this tendency increases, as the student will be motivated to escape the aversive situation as well as divert to something attractive (Tice et al., 2001).”

    From How Study Environments Foster Academic Procrastination: Overview and Recommendations (2020) · cites this paper as Tice et al., 2001

  • The core problem of procrastination is poor self-regulation.

    “the core problem of procrastination, poor self-regulation (Tice et al., 2001; Steel, 2007; Hagger et al., 2010)”

    From How Study Environments Foster Academic Procrastination: Overview and Recommendations (2020) · cites this paper as Tice et al., 2001

  • Factors that undermine effective self-regulation are often of primary importance in procrastination.

    “often factors that undermine effective self-regulation are of primary importance in procrastination (e.g., Tice et al., 2001).”

    From How Study Environments Foster Academic Procrastination: Overview and Recommendations (2020) · cites this paper as Tice et al., 2001

  • Low energy and tiredness may render the individual more vulnerable to task-irrelevant temptations and distractions and increase task aversiveness, which in turn increases the probability of procrastination.

    “low energy and tiredness may render the individual more vulnerable to task-irrelevant temptations and distractions and increase task aversiveness, which in turn increases the probability of procrastination (Tice et al., 2001; Baumeister and Tierney, 2011).”

    From How Study Environments Foster Academic Procrastination: Overview and Recommendations (2020) · cites this paper as Tice et al., 2001

  • Low mindfulness may be another factor contributing to the avoidance commonly associated with procrastination.

    “low mindfulness may be another factor contributing to the avoidance commonly associated with procrastination.”

    From Lost in the Moment? An Investigation of Procrastination, Mindfulness, and Well-being (2012) · cites this paper as Tice et al., 2001

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Authors
Tice, D. M., Bratslavsky, E., & Baumeister, R. F.
Affiliations
Case Western Reserve University (US)
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
Publisher
American Psychological Association (APA)
Published
2001-01
Volume
80
Issue
1
Pages
53-67
ISSN
  • 0022-3514 (ISSN-L)
  • 1939-1315
DOI
10.1037/0022-3514.80.1.53
OpenAlex
W2112868206
Cited by
1,361
References
83
Citations by year
2026: 42 · 2025: 44 · 2024: 81 · 2023: 59 · 2022: 70 · 2021: 71 · 2020: 126 · 2019: 71 · 2018: 60 · 2017: 68 · 2016: 70 · 2015: 66 · 2014: 74 · 2013: 58 · 2012: 67
FWCI
23.51
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health (5r01mh057039-05)
  • National Institute of Mental Health (MH 57039)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Behavioral Health and Interventions
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
  • Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › General Decision Sciences › Decision-Making and Behavioral Economics
Keywords
emotional distress, depressive mood, self-control, impulse control, affective self-regulation, instant gratification, procrastination, dietary habits, motivation
MeSH terms
Adaptation, Psychological, Adult, Affect, Analysis of Variance, Behavior Therapy, Feeding Behavior, Female, Humans, Impulsive Behavior, Male, Motivation, Stress, Psychological, Self Efficacy

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