ABSTRACT
One of the hallmarks of successful development in childhood is the acquisition of the ability to control one’s impulses, sacrificing the immediate gratification that might come from impulsive action in pursuit of higher order goals. For instance, the desire to kick a sibling who has made a teasing remark must be inhibited to appease parental authority, even though an aggressive response might seem to be a terribly appealing option. Although undoubtedly frustrating to those who are in the process of mastering it, skilled self-regulation is central to successful functioning in all of life’s domains (e.g., Carver & Scheier, 1981; Miller, Galanter, & Pribram, 1960). For example, the common impulse to eat rich and sugary foods may have strong evolutionary roots (e.g., Harris & Ross, 1987), but in the contemporary environments of industrialized nations, with their abundant supply of “junk food,” failure to rein in this impulse can lead to a host of maladaptive outcomes. Personal well-being, it would seem, is intimately tied to self-regulatory skill.
