Marian M. Morry & Simmi Mann University of Manitoba You Rejuvenate Me: Priming Representations of Close Relationship Partners Improves Self-Control Performance Marian M. Morry & Simmi Mann University of Manitoba Mann & Morry (under review)

Background: Self-control Self-control: the capacity to override and regulate responses (Baumeister et al., 1994) Requires self-regulatory strength: internal resources to alter responses Strength is limited and varies as a function of willpower, stress, and exhaustion Repeated self-control exertion leads to exhaustion or cognitive depletion (Richards, 2004)

Sources of depletion: emotion regulation (Richards, 2004) atypical self-presentation (Vohs et al., 2005) taking the perspective of a person exercising self- control (Ackerman et al, 2009) high-maintenance interaction partners (Finkel et al., 2006) interacting with people of different ethnicities and cultures (Richeson & Trawalter, 2005)

Sources of replenishment: positive mood (Muraven et al., 1999; Tice et al., 2007) self-affirmation (Schmeichel & Vohs, 2009) glucose (Gailliot et al., 2007) sleep (Tyler & Burns, 2008) rest (Baumesiter et al., 1994) supportive social environments (vanDellen et al., 2015)

Background: Relationships Benefits of close relationships Social support (Berman et al., 2000) Stress reduction (Mickulincer et al., 2003) Secure base/safe haven (Feeney & Collins, 2004) Physical health (Kiecolt-Glaser & Newton, 2001) Mental health (Mikulincer & Shaver 2005) Goals striving (Fitzsimons & Bargh 2003)

Others as sources of depletion High maintenance, other cultures or ethnicities Others as sources of replenishment Very subtle priming of a family member (e.g., photo or name) increased self-control, but only when not depleted (Stillman et al., 2009) Benefits of Priming Close Others reducing threat appraisal when delivering a speech (Collins et al., 2014) reducing pain perceptions (Master et al., 2009)

Overview of Studies Study 1: Examine subtle and explicit priming of dating partner manipulated depletion compared an explicit prime or a subtle prime to no prime Study 2: Examine different types of relationships everyone was depleted compared a dating partner prime to a close other prime to an acquaintance Both studies used the Stroop task as a measure of depletion

Study 1: Method 24 hours prior to study submitted a photo of the dating partner and one of the self Randomly assigned high cognitive load (depletion) no load (control) condition

Randomly assigned to a prime: no prime (control) subtle prime – rate superficial attributes explicit prime – rate superficial attributes and reflect and write about the importance of the relationship

Self-control task (Stroop) Congruent Trials: Incongruent Trials: Red, Green, Blue Red, Green, Blue Longer reaction times on the incongruent trials indicative of cognitive depletion

Potential mediators Inclusion of other in self (Aron et al., 1992) Self-expansion (Lewandowski & Aron, 2002) Relationship Satisfaction (Hendrick et al., 1998) Self-esteem (Rosenberg, 1965) Behavioral Inhibition and Activation Systems (Carver & White, 1994) Positive and Negative Affect (Watson et al., 1988)

Study 1: Hypotheses H1 - Main effect of Condition on Stroop RT depletion condition longer RT than control condition H2 - Condition by Prime interaction on Stroop RT depletion condition: no prime longer RT compared to subtle or explicit prime control condition: no RT differences based on prime H3 – Depletion Condition fastest RTs in the explicit prime condition followed by the subtle prime condition

Study 1: Results Condition by Prime ANOVA on Stroop RT H1: Condition, F(1, 157) = 21.67, p < .001, ηp2 = .12 control conditions (M = 806 ms, SD = 139.80 ms) faster the depletion conditions (M = 913 ms, SD = 239.24 ms)

H2: Condition by Prime interaction, F(2, 157) = 27. 28, p < H2: Condition by Prime interaction, F(2, 157) = 27.28, p < .001, ηp2 = .26

Study 1: Results Continued H3: not supported (t(52) = .12, p = .90) explicit = subtle Potential Mediators: None were significant Prime did not predict (BIS/BAS, SE, PANAS) Bootstrapping indicated no mediation (IOS, Self- expansion, RAS)

Study 2: Method Randomly assigned to dating partner, close other, or acquaintance condition 48 hours prior to study submitted a list of attributes that best described the person “… list of 20 words that best describe a close other in your life (i.e., caring, musical, athletic, and sensitive)” All participants were depleted

caring, musical, athletic, and sensitive chair, hammer, sunny Red, Green, Blue Primed “Memory test” - E-Prime provided descriptive words they had submitted and filler words Self-control task (Stroop) Potential mediators

Study 2: Hypothesis H4 - Main effect of Prime on Stroop RT dating partner faster RT than close other followed by the acquaintance

One-Way Prime ANOVA: F(2,153) = 65.83, p < .001,

Study 2: Results Continued Potential Mediators: IOS was significant Others Prime did not predict (BIS/BAS, SE, PANAS) Bootstrapping indicated no mediation (Self-expansion, RAS)

Discussion Positive influence of close relationships on cognitive resources when experiencing cognitive depletion Resource potential Different priming methods improved performance Subtle and Explicit primes Photos or Attributes

Discussion Continued Compared relationship types Implications Close others of any type improved performance Implications When cognitively depleted Look at and think about photos of close others Think about attributes of close others

Future Directions Other types of depletion (e.g., emotion regulation) Other measures of subsequent self-regulation (e.g., eating restraint, unsolvable puzzles) Other mediators (e.g., self-affirmation)

Questions Acknowledgements Close Relationship Laboratory Trinda Penniston Jamie McDonald Deepak Singh Jill Guingcangco Questions