Goal pursuit increases more after dietary success than after dietary failure: examining conflicting theories of self-regulation using ecological momentary assessment
Abstract Background Maintaining a healthy body weight and reaching long-term dietary goals requires ongoing self-monitoring and behavioral adjustments. How individuals respond to successes and failures is described in models of self-regulation: while cybernetic models propose that failures lead to i...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2024-02-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-024-01566-x |
| _version_ | 1797273145479004160 |
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| author | Hannah van Alebeek Christopher M. Jones Julia Reichenberger Björn Pannicke Benjamin Schüz Jens Blechert |
| author_facet | Hannah van Alebeek Christopher M. Jones Julia Reichenberger Björn Pannicke Benjamin Schüz Jens Blechert |
| author_sort | Hannah van Alebeek |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Maintaining a healthy body weight and reaching long-term dietary goals requires ongoing self-monitoring and behavioral adjustments. How individuals respond to successes and failures is described in models of self-regulation: while cybernetic models propose that failures lead to increased self-regulatory efforts and successes permit a reduction of such efforts, motivational models (e.g., social-cognitive theory) make opposite predictions. Here, we tested these conflicting models in an ecological momentary assessment (EMA) context and explored whether effort adjustments are related to inter-individual differences in perceived self-regulatory success in dieting (i.e., weight management). Methods Using linear mixed effects models, we tested in 174 diet-interested individuals whether current day dietary success or failure (e.g., on Monday) was followed by self-regulatory effort adjustment for the next day (e.g., on Tuesday) across 14 days. Success vs. failure was operationalized with two EMA items: first, whether food intake was higher vs. lower than usual and second, whether food intake was perceived as more vs. less goal-congruent than usual. Trait-level perceived self-regulatory success in dieting was measured on a questionnaire. Results Intended self-regulatory effort increased more strongly after days with dietary success (i.e., eating less than usual / rating intake as goal-congruent) than after days with dietary failure (i.e., eating more than usual / rating intake as goal-incongruent), especially in those individuals with lower scores on perceived self-regulatory success in dieting. Conclusions Findings support mechanisms proposed by social-cognitive theory, especially in unsuccessful dieters. Thus, future dietary interventions could focus on preventing the decrease in self-regulatory effort after instances of dietary failures and thereby mitigate the potential risk that a single dietary failure initiates a downward spiral into unhealthy eating. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T14:40:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0e8a4f3da6114823be938141b74a308e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1479-5868 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T14:40:24Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity |
| spelling | doaj.art-0e8a4f3da6114823be938141b74a308e2024-03-05T20:23:29ZengBMCInternational Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity1479-58682024-02-0121111310.1186/s12966-024-01566-xGoal pursuit increases more after dietary success than after dietary failure: examining conflicting theories of self-regulation using ecological momentary assessmentHannah van Alebeek0Christopher M. Jones1Julia Reichenberger2Björn Pannicke3Benjamin Schüz4Jens Blechert5Department of Psychology, Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, Paris-Lodron-University of SalzburgMedical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg UniversityDepartment of Psychology, Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, Paris-Lodron-University of SalzburgDepartment of Psychology, Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, Paris-Lodron-University of SalzburgInstitute for Public Health and Nursing Research, University of BremenDepartment of Psychology, Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, Paris-Lodron-University of SalzburgAbstract Background Maintaining a healthy body weight and reaching long-term dietary goals requires ongoing self-monitoring and behavioral adjustments. How individuals respond to successes and failures is described in models of self-regulation: while cybernetic models propose that failures lead to increased self-regulatory efforts and successes permit a reduction of such efforts, motivational models (e.g., social-cognitive theory) make opposite predictions. Here, we tested these conflicting models in an ecological momentary assessment (EMA) context and explored whether effort adjustments are related to inter-individual differences in perceived self-regulatory success in dieting (i.e., weight management). Methods Using linear mixed effects models, we tested in 174 diet-interested individuals whether current day dietary success or failure (e.g., on Monday) was followed by self-regulatory effort adjustment for the next day (e.g., on Tuesday) across 14 days. Success vs. failure was operationalized with two EMA items: first, whether food intake was higher vs. lower than usual and second, whether food intake was perceived as more vs. less goal-congruent than usual. Trait-level perceived self-regulatory success in dieting was measured on a questionnaire. Results Intended self-regulatory effort increased more strongly after days with dietary success (i.e., eating less than usual / rating intake as goal-congruent) than after days with dietary failure (i.e., eating more than usual / rating intake as goal-incongruent), especially in those individuals with lower scores on perceived self-regulatory success in dieting. Conclusions Findings support mechanisms proposed by social-cognitive theory, especially in unsuccessful dieters. Thus, future dietary interventions could focus on preventing the decrease in self-regulatory effort after instances of dietary failures and thereby mitigate the potential risk that a single dietary failure initiates a downward spiral into unhealthy eating.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-024-01566-xSelf-regulationEcological momentary assessmentCybernetic modelSocial cognitive theoryIntentionsRegulatory effort |
| spellingShingle | Hannah van Alebeek Christopher M. Jones Julia Reichenberger Björn Pannicke Benjamin Schüz Jens Blechert Goal pursuit increases more after dietary success than after dietary failure: examining conflicting theories of self-regulation using ecological momentary assessment International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-regulation Ecological momentary assessment Cybernetic model Social cognitive theory Intentions Regulatory effort |
| title | Goal pursuit increases more after dietary success than after dietary failure: examining conflicting theories of self-regulation using ecological momentary assessment |
| title_full | Goal pursuit increases more after dietary success than after dietary failure: examining conflicting theories of self-regulation using ecological momentary assessment |
| title_fullStr | Goal pursuit increases more after dietary success than after dietary failure: examining conflicting theories of self-regulation using ecological momentary assessment |
| title_full_unstemmed | Goal pursuit increases more after dietary success than after dietary failure: examining conflicting theories of self-regulation using ecological momentary assessment |
| title_short | Goal pursuit increases more after dietary success than after dietary failure: examining conflicting theories of self-regulation using ecological momentary assessment |
| title_sort | goal pursuit increases more after dietary success than after dietary failure examining conflicting theories of self regulation using ecological momentary assessment |
| topic | Self-regulation Ecological momentary assessment Cybernetic model Social cognitive theory Intentions Regulatory effort |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-024-01566-x |
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