Conceptual Foundations of Self-Control as Delay of Gratification

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction
• Preliminary Definitions and Assumptions
• A More General Limitation: Self-Control vs. Self-Regulation
• Narrowing down the Definition of Self-Control
• Further Definitions and Assumptions
• What this Thesis is not about
• Aims and Course of Action
• Aims
• Course of Action
• Challenges
• Methodology: It's all about Distinctions
• Relevance of Self-Control
• Self-Control as Delay of Gratification
• Setting the Stage - Initial Conditions
• Short-Term Value Attribution as a Normative Problem
• The Relation of Intentions and Behavioral Decisions
• "Genuine" Delay of Gratification and the "Surrender Scenario"
• Potential Moderating Variables
• Provisional Summary
• Putting it all together: An Analytical Framework
• Summary and Future Perspectives
• Summary: What Has Been Reached
• Perspectives: What May Follow Next

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This thesis aims to contribute to a better understanding of self-control, particularly in the context of delaying gratification. It aims to clarify the different notions surrounding self-control by analyzing the underlying conditions for attributing self-control failure. Furthermore, it seeks to establish an analytical framework for comparing different self-control scenarios.

• Clarifying the concept of self-control and its relationship to self-regulation.
• Examining the relationship between intentions and behavioral decisions in the context of self-control.
• Analyzing the role of short-term value attribution in the experience of self-control failure.
• Developing an analytical framework for comparing different self-control scenarios.
• Exploring the relevance of self-control in various contexts.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The introduction lays the groundwork by defining key terms and outlining the thesis' objectives. It emphasizes the need for clarification in the conceptualization of self-control due to the diverse interpretations found in scientific literature. The thesis focuses on self-control failure, particularly within the framework of resisting short-term gratification in favor of longer-term goals.

Chapter 2 delves deeper into self-control as delay of gratification. It explores the initial conditions and the normative problem associated with short-term value attribution. The chapter also examines the relationship between intentions and behavioral decisions, and it introduces the concept of "genuine" delay of gratification and the "surrender scenario." Potential moderating variables are discussed, leading to a provisional summary of the key arguments.

Chapter 3 presents an analytical framework that aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of different self-control scenarios. It synthesizes the insights from the previous chapters to create a framework for analyzing and comparing various theoretical perspectives, experimental findings, and everyday situations.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This thesis focuses on the concepts of self-control, self-regulation, delay of gratification, intention-behavior gap, short-term value attribution, and analytical framework. It explores these concepts in the context of understanding self-control failures and provides a comprehensive approach to analyzing different self-control scenarios.