<p>What determines the "default behaviour" if no self-control is applied?</p>

<p>Most documents refer to satisfaction of immediate desire, but that does not seem to explain how quite sophisticated behaviors can occur as the result of a failure of self-control. A temptation to eat fast food which involves purchasing it, or to consume internet pornography, can require higher or executive functions to satisfy in terms of computer operation and engagement with a purchasing process. A temptation to take illegal drugs can potentially require delaying gratification for an unknown period of time (to find a supplier).</p>

<p>So is there research on what determines the behavior without self-control, and how it is able to "hijack" executive functions that should rightfully be limiting the undesirable behavior?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-13T21:39:29.900Z
Interesting question! It's not all black and white if one considers "cortico-cortical loops" between the cortex and the subcortex. I had to be reminded of that by others in my question here: https://psychology.stackexchange.com/questions/23119/can-signals-from-the-prefrontal-cortex-alone-trigger-a-readiness-potential-in-th
Wuschelbeutel Kartoffelhuhn
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-13T21:40:34.783Z
In your particular question, one probably needs to distinguish between subjects who express different levels of executive-motivational conflict. To what extent does the individual in question want to prevent the "default behavior"?
Wuschelbeutel Kartoffelhuhn
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-13T22:54:23.587Z
I think you might be mixing different types of [executive function](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executive_functions) - you should think of it as not one concept but rather a collection of concepts, which are potentially associated with some non-overlapping brain areas (though studying some of them independently is a challenge). Also, "A temptation to take illegal drugs can potentially require delaying gratification for an unknown period of time" is a very poor example of self-control: it's really quite the opposite, because the delay is externally rather than internally imposed.
Bryan Krause
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-13T23:07:02.350Z
It's more what the definition of temptation is. For example, if an individual has to choose between two covered platters (which secretly hold, let's say, a cookie and a radish), what is the smallest amount of information necessary for this choice to become a matter of willpower?
Mark Green
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-14T11:26:36.683Z
I suppose executive function originates from somewhere in the brain so it is never a matter of will-power. Temptations I would say are more about lower-level(physical?) needs. The only valuable research in this area for me is studying ways to increase your capacity for making decisions at higher level of consciousness.
Borut Flis
<behavior><willpower>
If self-control is the executive function to resist temptation, how does the brain decide what is and what is not a temptation?
Mark Green
# If self-control is the executive function to resist temptation, how does the brain decide what is and what is not a temptation?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-05-13)

What determines the "default behaviour" if no self-control is applied?

Most documents refer to satisfaction of immediate desire, but that does not seem to explain how quite sophisticated behaviors can occur as the result of a failure of self-control. A temptation to eat fast food which involves purchasing it, or to consume internet pornography, can require higher or executive functions to satisfy in terms of computer operation and engagement with a purchasing process. A temptation to take illegal drugs can potentially require delaying gratification for an unknown period of time (to find a supplier).

So is there research on what determines the behavior without self-control, and how it is able to "hijack" executive functions that should rightfully be limiting the undesirable behavior?

**Tags:** behavior, willpower

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Interesting question! It's not all black and white if one considers "cortico-cortical loops" between the cortex and the subcortex. I had to be reminded of that by others in my question here: https://psychology.stackexchange.com/questions/23119/can-signals-from-the-prefrontal-cortex-alone-trigger-a-readiness-potential-in-th  
> **username_1**: In your particular question, one probably needs to distinguish between subjects who express different levels of executive-motivational conflict. To what extent does the individual in question want to prevent the "default behavior"?  
> **username_2**: I think you might be mixing different types of [executive function](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executive_functions) - you should think of it as not one concept but rather a collection of concepts, which are potentially associated with some non-overlapping brain areas (though studying some of them independently is a challenge). Also, "A temptation to take illegal drugs can potentially require delaying gratification for an unknown period of time" is a very poor example of self-control: it's really quite the opposite, because the delay is externally rather than internally imposed.  
> **username_0**: It's more what the definition of temptation is. For example, if an individual has to choose between two covered platters (which secretly hold, let's say, a cookie and a radish), what is the smallest amount of information necessary for this choice to become a matter of willpower?  
> **username_3**: I suppose executive function originates from somewhere in the brain so it is never a matter of will-power. Temptations I would say are more about lower-level(physical?) needs. The only valuable research in this area for me is studying ways to increase your capacity for making decisions at higher level of consciousness.  

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## 0 answers

