THE ROLE OF STRATEGY COSTS AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES IN PROACTIVE SELF-CONTROL STRATEGY CHOICE AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

Abstract

Proactive self-control strategies have been proven to help students better accomplish their academic goals. However, less attention has been given to the study of self-control strategy preference, which would reveal if students are also likely to use such proven strategies. This thesis therefore set out to explore the factors that may underlie proactive self-control strategy choice among university students. In order to investigate the role of strategy cost, a set of proactive strategies was devised in the context of four self-control scenarios such that each strategy differed along two types of cost; execution and reversal. Students indicated preference and effectiveness ratings for each proactive strategy in addition to answering several trait questionnaires. Consistent with predictions, comparisons between preference and effectiveness ratings showed that low reversal cost-strategies were considered less effective but more preferred than their high reversal cost-counterparts. In general, university students appear to prefer proactive self-control strategies which entail low reversal costs i.e. allow the possibility for temptations to be engaged. Self-kindness, prevention focus and proactive tendency emerged as significant trait predictors for strategy preference on the basis of reversal cost. The apparent role played by reversal cost in determining strategy preference was interpreted through the multifinality and counterfinality principles of goal systems.