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Cited by 1,069

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 100 of the 100 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

What Is Ego Depletion? Toward a Mechanistic Revision of the Resource Model of Self-Control

Inzlicht, Michael, Schmeichel, Brandon J.·2012·Perspectives on Psychological Science
DOI 10.1177/1745691612454134
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Abstract

According to the resource model of self-control, overriding one’s predominant response tendencies consumes and temporarily depletes a limited inner resource. Over 100 experiments have lent support to this model of ego depletion by observing that acts of self-control at Time 1 reduce performance on subsequent, seemingly unrelated self-control tasks at Time 2. The time is now ripe, therefore, not only to broaden the scope of the model but to start gaining a precise, mechanistic account of it. Accordingly, in the current article, the authors probe the particular cognitive, affective, and motivational mechanics of self-control and its depletion, asking, “What is ego depletion?” This study proposes a process model of depletion, suggesting that exerting self-control at Time 1 causes temporary shifts in both motivation and attention that undermine self-control at Time 2. The article highlights evidence in support of this model but also highlights where evidence is lacking, thus providing a blueprint for future research. Though the process model of depletion may sacrifice the elegance of the resource metaphor, it paints a more precise picture of ego depletion and suggests several nuanced predictions for future research.

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Metadata

Authors
Inzlicht, M., & Schmeichel, B. J.
Venue
Perspectives on Psychological Science
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Published
2012-09
Volume
7
Issue
5
Pages
450-463
ISSN
  • 1745-6916 (ISSN-L)
  • 1745-6924
DOI
10.1177/1745691612454134
OpenAlex
W2000141755
Cited by
1,069
References
100
FWCI
87.34
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed

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CoChat. (2026). Citation check: What Is Ego Depletion? Toward a Mechanistic Revision of the Resource Model of Self-Control. https://app.cochat.ai/papers/10.1177/1745691612454134
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Inzlicht, M., & Schmeichel, B. J. (2012). What Is Ego Depletion? Toward a Mechanistic Revision of the Resource Model of Self-Control. Perspectives on Psychological Science. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691612454134

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