Motivated Self-Control
Date: Friday, May 15, 2026, 10:30 ~ 12:00
Speaker: Wei HUANG (The Chinese University of Hong Kong)
Location: Zoom을 통한 온라인 세미나
Abstract: We study how individuals sustain optimism about their self-control ability through two channels: intentionally working harder and selectively forgetting past failures. In a field experiment with university students, we conduct two rounds of self-control tasks. We manipulate memory accuracy across treatments by selectively sending first-round performance reminders before the second round. We find that pre-announced reminders significantly increase first-round effort relative to sudden ex-post reminders and no reminders, thereby boosting confidence and willingness to participate in the second-round task. In the absence of reminders, students exhibit optimistic memory biases that also increase confidence and second-round participation, but to a lesser extent. We develop an intra-personal model in which a present-biased agent perseveres to signal self-control to future selves, driven by either self-regulation or self-image concerns. Our experimental findings support self-regulation as the driver of this motivated perseverance.
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The virtual seminar will consist of a 60-minute research paper presentation, followed by 15 minutes of Q&A and 15 minutes of discussion with students/junior researchers. During the final 15-minute discussion session, we encourage students and junior researchers to stay and interact with the speaker.