A large part of our daily actions are preceded by the dictates of our will, however, sometimes this does not happen, we do not do what we wanted to do or we do what we did not want. The question that interests us is to discover what moves us to do something, or, what prevents us from acting as we have decided, what encourages us to carry out an action knowing that it is not appropriate, to give in to a temptation or to stop doing something. for tomorrow what we should do today. To do this, it will be necessary to know how the will is formed, what distortions can occur in the process and how to control it.
In this Psychology-Online article, What is self-control: definition and techniquesyou will find everything from what self-control depends on to what the most effective self-control techniques are.
What is will
The will is a power that the mind has to direct our actions from day to day. It is formed through a psychological process that takes place in a conscious mental state and enjoying complete freedom of action (there are no forces that force a certain action) by which a response of action or omission is generated in the face of an internal or external stimulus.
Will: definition of the RAE
The RAE Dictionary describes the will, among other meanings, with the following terms:
- Power to decide and order one’s own conduct.
- Intention, spirit or resolution to do something.
Following this definition we see that three basic aspects come together in the will:
- The decision to do or not do something.
- An intention to carry out this decision.
- The impulse to execute the action.
Therefore, to know how the will is formed, we will have to focus on these three aspects:
1. Make a decision
People do not act randomly, we do not usually choose our actions at random, especially those that have to do with matters of importance, in these cases we do so after a cognitive reasoning process in which we contrast and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of the possible behavioral responses (deliberation process) and We choose the one that seems most appropriate to us, the one that brings us the most benefits (for example, whether or not to stop smoking, change or maintain my attitude towards certain situations or people, prepare for competitive exams, look for a new job, change address, etc.). The key to deciding on an option is in the convictionthat is, becoming convinced that, faced with a specific situation or question, the chosen response option is the best possible.
2. The intention to act accordingly
How to act when making a decision? The decision made about something induces a desire to carry it out, a “wanting” to do it. It is a state of mind that predisposes us to act in a certain way. The RAE dictionary defines intention as “the determination of the will in order to an end”. It is defined in a similar way by Franz Brentano (19th century philosopher) who points out: “Intentionality is the common characteristic of all psychological phenomena. It is the property that directs a specific act or event towards an object or goal located in the external world..
It is linked to a proactive attitude and it is usually conditioned by an emotional aspect: the expectation of obtaining a benefit, well-being or pleasure, or the avoidance of harm that is attributed to the stimulus in question. It also depends on the perception we have about the sufficiency of our resources to carry out the chosen action, both psychological (, intelligence, emotional sensitivity, etc.) and material or economic resources that are required under the circumstances and whose lack may override the intent (for example: “I know that the decision is the right one, but I don’t feel able to carry it out”; O well: “I don’t have enough financial resources to do it”).
3. The impulse to act
The intention opens the door to execute the decided action and this requires additional energy, an impulse, which is the psychological force that moves the person to carry out a certain action and persist in it until its completion. It is related to motivation, which is a mental state that activates, directs and maintains a person’s behavior towards specific goals or purposes. It involves the activation of proactive psychological forces (illusion, usefulness, obligation, need) but which can be stopped by impeding forces (fear, shame, reluctance, etc.).
What is self-control
What is self-control? Self-control allows us to control important aspects of our daily life: attention, thoughts, emotions, desires and actions (every day we make decisions to resist impulses that “tempt” us with the expectation of obtaining something pleasant). In this sense, we should avoid negative interferences in the process of will formation, overcome temptations that modify or eliminate it and suppress unconscious actions that are beyond our control (manias, ticks, obsessive-compulsive behaviors, verbal expressions and repetitive gestures, inappropriate habits, etc.).
The central question is: to what extent can we control our volitional impulses and put our decisions into practice? It all depends on the willpower and self-control we have to make the decision made or to dominate the tempting impulse that arises from within us. To know how to work on self-control, it is first necessary to know what self-control is and what its components are.
Self-control: definition in psychology
What is personal self-control? The meaning of self-control is the ability of a person to regulate your own behavior, thoughts and feelings.
Kelly McGonigal, health psychologist and expert in neuroscience applied to the relationship between the mind and the body, points out three different aspects within the concept of self-control:
- The ability to resist temptations.
- The ability to do what needs to be done.
- Awareness of long-term goals.
How to learn to have self-control? McGonigal indicates that the most effective way to learn to control ourselves is to understand how and why we lose that control. To do this, he invites us to dissect each of our mistakes: what leads us to give in to a temptation or to leave for tomorrow what we want to do today? How can we transform the knowledge of our failures into strategies to succeed? ?
On the other hand, it must be taken into account that Complex mechanisms intervene in the formation and control of the will. both psychological and physiological, and among them are:
1. Psychological in nature
The will requires a mental state of self-consciousness, that is, a mental state in which the person has the self awarenessthat it is she who is thinking, and she is doing it here and now (although in reality situations in which we are not aware of the real factors that influence our evaluations are very common).
Self-awareness is essential to focus attention, analyze information and make a decision. In situations in which it does not predominate (for example, in automatic cognitive processes or in states under the influence of narcotics) the will disappears and we lose control of our actions. The importance of consciousness in relation to the will is defined by the philosopher of science David Chalmers based on three faculties of consciousness:
- The deliberate control of behavior.
- The ability to access your own mental states.
- Integration of information through a cognitive system.
2. Physiological in nature
Will is a mental phenomenon that arises as a result of a set of underlying biological processes, therefore, the influence of the organic brain structure and its functioning (conditioned by genetics and epigenetic factors) is undeniable. However, will is not determined by genes or biological processes, it depends rather on other mental phenomena such as perception, interpretation, emotionality, attitude, motivation, etc.
The brain structure involved in decision making is centered on prefrontal cortex, which has cognitive functions, and which is responsible for the emotional aspects that influence volitional processes. The control function depends on the communication between the two, that is, on the amplitude and directionality of the neuronal connectivity: the greater the intensity of the neuronal connections in the prefrontal cortex direction towards the limbic system, the greater control of their actions the person will have.
According to neuroscientist A. Damasio, systems are located in the prefrontal cortex through which emotion contributes to choice and decision making. It is a function of behavioral regulation through affective information, as it links action alternatives to bodily reactions (rapid heart palpitations and skin sweating) depending on whether they are perceived as pleasant or unpleasant. This implies that the probability of a response will depend, to a certain degree, on the intensity of the force exerted by the emotion associated with the event in question, which will drive the decision towards those behaviors that do not disturb our emotional stability, otherwise feelings will be produced. of guilt, irritation, shame, frustration, etc. (exposure to an emotionally charged stimulus can override our rational cognitive system and lead us to impulsive actions).
Why do I have no willpower or self-control?
There are distortions that affect the will formation process. During the training process, factors inherent to the person or induced by the environment may appear that introduce modifications or paralyze it. Leaving aside those that escape rational control (invincible obfuscation, uncontrollable passion, alcoholism and drug addiction, etc.) and following the previous scheme, the most common are:
1. Lack of conviction
If we are not fully convinced of the goodness of the chosen action, it will be very likely that we will give up carrying it out. Doubts generate insecurity and reduce expectations about the expected result. Doubts may arise:
- About the appropriateness of the chosen action, considering the consequences that could occur if the expected result does not occur (“if it goes wrong it will be a disaster”; “maybe it is not the right time”; “I should think about it again”).
- About personal capacity or the sufficiency of available resources. (“it may not be worth it”; “it is very difficult to get it”; “I won’t be able to do it”; “I don’t have the means”; “I’m ashamed”).
One of the dangers of doubt is that it opens the door to persuasion, suggestion and seduction, which are processes intended to direct or change a person’s attitude, behavior or emotions toward something or someone by using words to convey new information or new reasoning. They are instruments used by social agents (companies, politicians, leaders…