Table 2.1
Summary of experimental studies into ego depletion (chronological order)
Study
Participants
Ego Depletion Treatment
Depletion effect
Baumeister, Bratlavsky,
Muraven, & Tice (1998)
Study 1
CS
Resisting temptation to eat chocolate chip cookies (5 mins)
Less persistence on unsolvable geometric puzzles
Baumeister et al. (1998)
Study 2
CS
Making a meaningful (deliberate) personal choice to
perform counter attitudinal speeches (high choice)
Less persistence on unsolvable geometric puzzles
Baumeister et al. (1998)
Study 3
CS
Affect regulation: Suppressing emotion whilst watching an
emotional video (10 mins)
Poorer performance at solving anagram tasks
Baumeister et al. (1998)
Study 4
CS
Overriding a natural, behaviour or impulse: Crossing out all
letter ‘e’s’ in a text except for some rules such as ignoring
‘e’s’ adjacent to a vowel.
Increase in passive option response and not actively exerting
themselves. Tolerated a boring movie longer when stopping
it involved an active response.
Muraven, Tice, & Baumeister
(1998) Study 1
CS
Suppression of emotion when exposed to a distressing, sad
video
Less persistence on a handgrip task requiring physical
stamina
Muraven et al. (1998) Study 2
CS
Thought suppression task: instructed either a) not to think
of a white bear b) to think of a white bear as much as
possible, while doing a writing task (6 mins)
Less persistence on an anagram task
Muraven et al. (1998) Study 3
CS
Thought suppression task: (White bear) (5 mins)
Less successful at controlling their emotional responses to an
amusing video
Muraven, Baumeister, & Tice
(1999)
CS
Thought suppression task: instructed not to think of a white
bear while making a list (5 mins)
Less persistence on a handgrip task requiring physical
stamina
Vohs & Heatherton (2000)
Study 1
Dieters CS
Resist temptation of tempting snacks whilst watching a 10
min neutral video
Dieters were more prone to break their diets and eat fattening
foods (consumed more ice cream). Non dieters were not
depleted by this same prior experience of resisting food
Vohs & Heatherton (2000)
Study 2
Dieters CS
Resist temptation of tempting snacks whilst watching a 10
min neutral video
Dieters persisted less on a unsolvable geometric figures task
Vohs & Heatheron (2000)
Study 3
Dieters CS
Emotion suppression to a sad video (11 mins)
Dieters are more prone to break their diets and eat fattening
foods (consumed more ice cream)
Table 2.1
Summary of experimental studies into ego depletion (chronological order)
Study
Finkel & Campbell (2001)
Muraven, Collins, &
Nienhaus (2002)
Participants
Ego Depletion Treatment
Depletion effect
CS
Emotion suppression (sad or happy video)
Relinquish self-control in ways that are not rewarding, such
as yelling at one’s romantic partner
Male
community
sample
Thought suppression: White bear (5 mins)
Depleted people drank more alcohol even when anticipating
a driving test
Muraven & Slessareva (2003)
Study 1
CS
Thought suppression: Ignore thoughts of a ‘white bear’
(5 mins)
When not given an incentive, ego depleted people performed
more poorly on unsolvable puzzles
Muraven & Slessareva (2003)
Study 2
CS
Short speech, speech control conditions, avoid saying ‘um’
or ‘er’
Depleted people who believed their efforts would not benefit
them performed lower in a frustrating ball rolling maze task
Muraven & Slessareva (2003)
Study 3
CS
Emotion suppression when watching a comedy video
(5 mins)
Motivation had an effect on ego depleted people but not on
non depleted
Schmeichel, Vohs, &
Baumeister (2003) Study 1
CS
Regulate attention/attention control task – ignoring
peripheral stimuli appearing for 30 seconds while watching
a video without audio (6 mins)
Lower performance at logic and reasoning: less correct
answers, attempted fewer problems, reduced speed and
accuracy
Schmeichel et al. (2003)
Study 2
CS
Regulate emotion, viewing an emotionally upsetting video
(10 mins)
Lower performance at cognitive extrapolation (higher order
cognitive processing)
No impact on general knowledge
Schmeichel et al. (2003)
Study 3
CS
Regulate attention (Study 1)
Lower performance at thoughtful reading comprehension
(higher order cognitive processing)
No impact on memorisation and recall of nonsense syllables
Suppressing the prejudiced stereotype (i.e. as an effortful
activity)
Prejudiced subjects reduced anagram performance level after
the depletion activity
Days when participants experienced more self-control
demands
Tended to drink more alcohol, were more intoxicated, more
likely to violate a personal limit on alcohol intake.
Gordijn, Hindriks, Koomen,
Dijksterhuis, & Van
Knippenberg (2004)
CS with
social
prejudices
Muraven, Collins, Shiffman,
& Paty (2005)
Community
sample
Table 2.1
Summary of experimental studies into ego depletion (chronological order)
Study
Participants
Ego Depletion Treatment
Depletion effect
Oaten & Cheng (2005)
CS
Thought suppression – White Bear
Reduced performance on self-regulatory Stroop task during
an examination period. Stress makes people more susceptible
to depletion
Vohs, Baumeister, &
Ciarocco (2005) Study 1
CS
Self presentation task (boasting to a friend). Interview
structure
Less persistence on maths task
Vohs et al. (2005) Study 3
CS
Self presentation task – before a sceptical audience
Less ability to control facial expressions during an emotional
video
Vohs et al. (2005) Study 4
CS
Required to give short talk on a difficult issue
Less persistence on an embedded figures test
Vohs et al. (2005) Study 5
CS
Thought suppression
More likely to blurt out thoughts into open speech
Vohs et al. (2005) Study 6
CS
Emotional suppression during a funny video
High task anxiety people increased inappropriate self
disclosures
Nervous individuals increased levels of inappropriate selfdisclosures
Vohs et al. (2005) Study 8
CS
Attention control: ignore distracting words whilst viewing a
silent video (7 mins)
Present themselves in ways less likely to make a good
impression i.e. regulate their self presentation
Govorun & Payne (2006)
CS
Stroop task: Shorter (1 min) and longer periods (15 mins) of
depletion
Long period of depletion produced less cognitive control on
a Weapon Identification Task (i.e. interference with
intentional control and cognitive resources)
Depletion did not affect automatic stereotype bias
Inzlicht, McKay, & Aronson
(2006) Study 1
CS
Stigma Sensitivity Scale
Increased stigma sensitivity: Race based rejection
Inzlicht et al. (2006) Study 2
CS
Stroop task
Reduced attentional self-regulation
Inzlicht et al. (2006) Study 3
CS
Stereotype threat, instructed that previous test results were
related to ability
Less persistence on a handgrip task requiring physical
stamina
Table 2.1
Summary of experimental studies into ego depletion (chronological order)
Study
Participants
Ego Depletion Treatment
Depletion effect
Moller, Deci, & Ryan (2006)
Study 1
CS
Making a meaningful (deliberate) personal choice to
perform counter attitudinal speeches, replication of
Baumeister et al. (1998), Study 2
Controlled choice reported less persistence on unsolvable,
geometric puzzles.
Moller et al. (2006)
Study 2
CS
Physical demand: Raise non writing hand above head, drop
hand when ready to quit (passive task)
Making a controlled choice resulted in less persistence and
lower performance
Moller et al. (2006)
Study 3
CS
Overriding a natural, behaviour or impulse: Letter ‘e’
activity
Making a controlled choice resulted in less persistence and
lower performance
Muraven, Pogarsky, &
Shmueli (2006)
CS
Inhibiting a natural impulse: Retype a paragraph without
pressing the letter ‘e’ or the space bar
Increased cheating on the self reported number of puzzles
completed
Stucke & Baumeister (2006)
Study 1
CS
Resisting to eat tempting food
Increased levels of aggressive responding to an insult
Stucke & Baumeister (2006)
Study 2
CS
Stifle a physical or facial movements when exposed to a
boring film (10 mins)
Increased levels of aggressive responding
Stucke & Baumeister (2006)
Study 3
CS
Stifle a physical or facial movements when exposed to a
boring film (10 mins)
An act unrelated to aggression was sufficient to increase
levels of aggression
De Wall, Baumeister,
Stillman, & Gailliot (2007)
Study 1
CS
Resist eating doughnuts
Increased level of aggression as retaliation from an insult
De Wall et al. (2007) Study 2
CS
Attention control: Watching a video
Increased aggression on a competitive computer game after
insult
De Wall et al. (2007) Study 3
CS
Stroop task
Negative ratings on another person who had been unpleasant
(i.e. retaliation)
De Wall et al. (2007) Study 4
CS
Difficult rule task: Letter ‘e’ activity
Self-expressed desire for retaliation in people low in selfcontrol trait
Table 2.1
Summary of experimental studies into ego depletion (chronological order)
Study
Participants
Ego Depletion Treatment
Depletion effect
Fischer, Greitemeyer, & Frey
(2007) Study 1
CS
Cognitive manipulation – Attention control, ignoring
peripheral stimuli while watching a video
Emotional manipulation - Emotion Suppression when
watching a comedy video
Less optimistic expectations about their own abilities
Fischer et al. (2007) Study 2
CS
Similar to Study 1
Lower sense of subjective control over chance-determined
situations
Fischer et al. (2007) Study 3
CS
Overriding a natural, behaviour or impulse: Letter ‘e’
activity
Less optimistic expectations about their future
Fischer et al. (2007) Study 4
CS
Similar to study 1
Generated/retrieved less positive self-relevant attributes
Fischer et al. (2007) Study 5
CS
Thought suppression – White Bear
Generated/retrieved less positive self-relevant attributes
Reported a lower sense of general self-efficacy
Gailliot & Baumeister (2007)
CS
Attention control task – ignoring peripheral stimuli while
watching a video
Perform inappropriate or under controlled sexual behaviours
(e.g. infidelity)
Perceived by others as more passive
Geeraert & Yzerbyt (2007)
Study 2(a) and (b)
CS
Forced to take a particular stand after watching a video
Avoid distracting stimulus when completing difficult mental
math test (8 mins)
Corrected their judgements more, a less strong effect for
dispositional rebound
Hold a dumb-bell for a shorter time
Vohs & Faber (2007) Study 1
CS
Attention control, 6 minute video clip without audio,
ignoring peripheral stimuli
Increased willingness to pay higher prices for products.
Vohs & Faber (2007) Study 2
CS
Thought Suppression – White Bear (6 mins)
Impulsive buyers increased spontaneity, impulsiveness,
unwanted purchasing of products
Vohs & Faber (2007) Study 3
CS
Express amplified emotions while reading aloud (6 mins)
Depleted people buy more items, spend more money. The
stronger a person’s trait of impulsive buying tendencies, the
more likely affected by depletion.
Wheeler, Briñot, & Hermann
(2007)
CS
Overriding a natural, behaviour or impulse: Letter ‘e’
activity (5 mins)
Reduced resistance to counter attitudinal messages
Table
Table2.1
2.1.
Summary
Summaryofofexperimental
experimentalstudies
studiesinto
intoego
egodepletion
depletion(chronological
(chronologicalorder)
order)
Study
Participants
Ego Depletion Treatment
Fischer, Greitemeyer, & Frey
(2008) Study 1
CS
Attention control, 5 minute video clip without audio,
ignoring peripheral stimuli
Elevated confirmatory information processing
Fischer et al. (2008) Study 2
CS
Thought Suppression adaptation – White Bear
Pronounced confirmatory information processing
Fischer et al. (2008) Study 3
CS
Overriding a natural, behaviour or impulse: Letter ‘e’
activity
Stronger tendency for confirmatory information processing
Fischer et al. (2008) Study 4
CS
Vohs, Baumeister,
Schmeichel, Twenge, Nelson,
& Tice (2008) Study 1(a) and
(b)
Vohs et al. (2008) Study 2
CS
Emotional control - Emotion Suppression when watching a
comedy video ‘The Simpsons’ (5 mins)
Making a series of choices (totalling 292 questionnaire
choices)
Stronger tendency for confirmatory information processing,
increase own standpoint
Consumed less of an aversive tasting drink
CS
Making a series of choices
Vohs et al. (2008) Study 3
CS
Making formal choices of college courses and writing them
down (8 mins)
Vohs et al. (2008) Study 4(a)
and (b)
CS
Making 35 choices which were presented as important and
consequential for the participants’ lives.
Less persistence in completing the cold pressor task (holding
non dominant arm in unpleasantly cold water)
Spend less time practising for an upcoming nonverbal
intelligence (math) test and increased time spent on self
indulgent activities (video games)
Less persistence on unsolvable puzzles and solvable puzzles.
Complete fewer practice problems and made more errors per
attempt
The more choices made, the worse their computations on
simple arithmetic problems (3 digit plus 3 digit) and less
persistence
Less persistence on solvable anagram tasks
Vohs et al. (2008) Study 5
Community
sample
Decisions made during shopping (a self-reported continuous
number)
Vohs et al. (2008) Study 6
CS
Vohs et al. (2008) Study 7
CS
Making deliberate choices, forming preferences, choosing
preferred options on a computer website, (dell.com)
High choice: 12 mins selecting from a wedding gift registry
Note. CS = University/college students
Depletion effect
Increased passivity in waiting longer to notify of a video
fault