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Self-Regulation in an Evolutionary Perspective

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Handbook of Biobehavioral Approaches to Self-Regulation

Abstract

In this chapter, I situate self-regulation in an evolutionary perspective, and explore the implications of an evolutionary approach for the study of individual differences in self-regulation. I begin by reviewing the two basic strategies of behavior control (feedback and feedforward control), compare their relative advantages and disadvantages, examine how they can be combined for optimal performance, and highlight the role of trade-offs in the evolution of control systems. I then discuss how organisms may flexibly shift the balance between feedback and feedforward control in a context- and task-specific manner, and outline an ecological theory of control strategies. Specifically, I analyze the differences between optimal self-regulation in predictable versus unpredictable environments, consider the role of delayed outcomes, and discuss the logic of defensive responses. I then go on to show how the same principles can be employed to understand stable individual differences in control strategies and impulsivity, usually characterized as “coping styles” in the biological literature. Finally, I introduce the framework of life history theory, and discuss how it provides a unifying perspective on the development of individual differences in self-regulation. After briefly introducing the fast-slow continuum of life history variation, I critically examine the associations between life history strategies and self-regulation in humans and nonhuman animals. I argue that, in humans, a primacy of feedforward regulation can be associated with both fast strategies characterized by high levels of impulsivity and slow strategies characterized by low impulsivity and high levels of future-oriented planning.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    In evolutionary biology, adaptive and maladaptive denote the effects of traits and behaviors on fitness, that is, the differential replication of genes in subsequent generations. In psychology and the social sciences, the same terms usually denote the subjective and/or social desirability of a trait or behavior. Traits that promote health, subjective well-being, and mutually rewarding social relations are viewed as adaptive, whereas socially undesirable, distressing, or health-damaging traits are viewed as maladaptive. Since natural selection promotes reproductive success rather than happiness or health, biologically adaptive traits may or may not be socially desirable or conducive to health and well-being.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Logan Hall, 87131, Albuquerque, NM, USA

    Marco Del Giudice PhD

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  1. Marco Del Giudice PhD
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Correspondence to Marco Del Giudice PhD .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Geneva Motivation Lab, FPSE Department of Psychology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Geneve, Switzerland

    Guido H.E. Gendolla

  2. Department of Clinical Psychology, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Mattie Tops

  3. Department of Clinical Psychology, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Sander L. Koole

Conclusion

Conclusion

Self-regulation is a biological property of living organisms, and can only be fully understood in the light of evolution. In this chapter, I approached the topic from a theoretical vantage point, leaving aside the issue of how self-regulatory processes are implemented at the neurobiological level. I started my analysis from the basic concepts of control theory , and showed how the logic of feedback and feedforward control can be combined with insights from evolutionary biology to outline an ecological theory of control strategies. I then discussed how life history theory offers a general framework for understanding individual differences in impulsivity and coping styles , and concluded with a critical examination of the relation between life history strategies and self-regulation in humans. In particular, I argued that, at least in humans, a primacy of feedforward control may be associated not only with fast life history strategies and high levels of impulsivity but also with slow life history strategies and high levels of effortful control.

In total, I hope I have shown how an evolutionary perspective can enrich the study of self-regulation by fostering integration across levels of analysis and suggesting new, testable predictions to guide empirical research.

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Del Giudice, M. (2015). Self-Regulation in an Evolutionary Perspective. In: Gendolla, G., Tops, M., Koole, S. (eds) Handbook of Biobehavioral Approaches to Self-Regulation. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1236-0_3

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