Abstract
Can pre-commitment strategies be a solution to self-control problems, or do they mainly help those who are already successful at regulating their behavior? In Study 1 (N=1,012), pre-commitment causally improved effort performance in an incentivized matrix-solving task. However, in Study 2 (N=1,010) participants with low (vs. high) self-control as a general trait were 35 percentage points less likely to choose the pre-commitment strategy, which in turn was associated with worse performance and earnings. Information about strategy effectiveness led to a small increase in uptake, whereas a “paternalistic” policy with forced pre-commitment led to superior performance. Study 3 (N=1,037) found that participants with high trait self-control were more likely to choose pre-commitment strategies across work, education, and health domains, mediated by higher future focus, strategy familiarity, and temptation avoidance. Pre-commitment is an effective strategy, but it is most often chosen by those who are already doing well: Individuals with good self-control.