New psychology research flips the script on happiness and self-control
PsyPost • • health
Key Points:
- A new study published in Social Psychological and Personality Science finds that psychological well-being precedes and predicts self-control, challenging the traditional belief that self-discipline leads to happiness.
- The research, involving two longitudinal studies with Asian and American working adults, used advanced statistical methods to show that higher well-being levels forecast improved self-control over time, while self-control does not reliably predict future well-being.
- These findings suggest that prioritizing emotional health and positive feelings may better equip individuals to pursue long-term goals than relying solely on willpower or discipline.
- The study's authors recommend shifting the focus of self-improvement strategies toward enhancing well-being as a way to build self-control, emphasizing that happiness fuels the capacity for discipline rather than being a reward for it