Can the ego be depleted? : Attempts to replicate the ego depletion effect and integrate its explanations

Abstract: Although self-control is so important that no one from any corner of the world would dispute, it is often difficult and vulnerable. Continuous exertion is one of the most influential factors that are detrimental to self-control, which leads to a state called “ego depletion”. Before 2016, the ego depletion effect had been a hot topic for a long time. After a multi-lab replication that reported a non-significant result in 2016, however, it became highly controversial regarding whether the ego depletion effect is a true effect. In the first three articles presenting reanalyses of data from the multi-lab replication, conducting an updated meta-analysis, and implementing a pre-registered large-scale experiment, I demonstrate that the non-significant result found in the multi-lab replication may be due to the ineffectiveness of the depleting task, and there is a reliable ego depletion effect when an effective depleting task is used. Further, Iintroduce and compare several explanations of the ego depletion effect, by analyzing the pros and cons of each explanation. On the basis of this work, I propose a fine-grained new model (i.e., the CoMo model) that integrates various lines of research and is able to explain almost all counterintuitive findings in this area. The last two articles provide evidence in support of the new model but contradict other theories. The limitations and future directions are discussed.