Psychology Ph.D. Dissertations
Title
Exacerbation and Attenuation of Ego-Depletion
Date of Award
2012
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Department
Psychology/Experimental
First Advisor
Anderson Richard, PhD
Second Advisor
Leventhal Laura, PhD (Committee Member)
Third Advisor
Klopfer Dale, PhD (Committee Member)
Fourth Advisor
Zickar Mike, PhD (Committee Member)
Abstract
The present study investigated relationships between Need for Cognition (NFC) and two independent aspects of the Ego-depletion phenomenon. Experiment 1 examined the possibility that given a relatively equal quantity of resource consumption, high NFC individuals are, under specific circumstances, less susceptible to the ego-depletion phenomenon. Experiment 2 examined the possibility that, under specific circumstances, high NFC individuals might also be susceptible to greater resource consumption than low NFC individuals; thus exacerbating the ego-depletion phenomenon. The data did not support this hypothesis either. Instead, the results from Experiments 1 and 2 raise the prospect that through a lifelong tendency to cognize, high NFC individuals develop a more resource-efficient cognitive system capable of prolonged cognitive activity before performance impairments occur. However, once a sufficient quantity of resource is consumed, high NFC participants are just as susceptible to performance impairments as low NFC individuals.
Recommended Citation
Gilkey, Justin, "Exacerbation and Attenuation of Ego-Depletion" (2012). Psychology Ph.D. Dissertations. 99.
https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/psychology_diss/99