Is Ego Depletion Real? An Analysis of Arguments. (May 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Friese, Malte; Loschelder, David D.; Gieseler, Karolin; Frankenbach, Julius; Inzlicht, Michael
• Is Part Of: Personality and social psychology review. Volume 23:Number 2(2019)
• Page Start: 107
• Page End: 131
• Publication Date: 2019-05
• Subjects: ego depletion -- self-control -- self-regulation -- replicability crisis -- p-hacking; Personality -- Periodicals; Social psychology -- Periodicals; 155.05
• DOI: 10.1177/1088868318762183
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1088-8683

Abstract

An influential line of research suggests that initial bouts of self-control increase the susceptibility to self-control failure (ego depletion effect). Despite seemingly abundant evidence, some researchers have suggested that evidence for ego depletion was the sole result of publication bias and p -hacking, with the true effect being indistinguishable from zero. Here, we examine (a) whether the evidence brought forward against ego depletion will convince a proponent that ego depletion does not exist and (b) whether arguments that could be brought forward in defense of ego depletion will convince a skeptic that ego depletion does exist. We conclude that despite several hundred published studies, the available evidence is inconclusive. Both additional empirical and theoretical works are needed to make a compelling case for either side of the debate. We discuss necessary steps for future work toward this aim.