Abstract: Self-control refers to one’s capacity to change, modify or inhibit dominant impulses, competing urges, or behaviors. The self-control strength model proposes that exerting self-control consumes self-control strength and thereby reduces the amount of strength that is available for subsequent self-control. Unconscious goal is a mental representation of the satisfactory state or outcome of the behavior. Researchers found that unconscious process could change cognition and behavior as the way of conscious process. This has caused an interest in using unconscious goal priming as an intervention tool to influence behavior in line with an individual's long-term goal. The present study hypothesized that unconscious goal priming that embodies the automatic process can overcome ego depletion. Previous studies have been mainly used supraliminal priming to activate self-control goal. Basing on the studies about the role of the unconscious goal priming in ego depletion, this study complements subliminal priming, using supraliminal and subliminal priming to explore the influence of unconscious goal priming on overcoming ego depletion. Experiment 1 was aimed at testing the hypothesis that supraliminal goal priming could overcome ego depletion. In Experiment 1, we used 2-factor between-subject design, ego depletion and unconscious goal priming as between-subjects factors; 73 subjects were randomly divided into 4 groups. We used the Stroop task to induce ego depletion, then subjects completed a scrambled sentence task to active the self-control or neutral goal. At last, they completed the isometric handgrip squeeze. It was found that the main effect of ego depletion was significant, and the unconscious goal priming had remarkable effect, subjects primed with persistent goal performed better than non-primed subjects. The interaction effect was not significant. Experiment 2 was aimed at testing the hypothesis that subliminal goal priming could overcome ego depletion. In Experiment 2, we used 2-factor between-subject design, ego depletion and unconscious goal priming as between-subjects factors; 71 subjects were randomly divided into 4 groups. We used the Stroop task to induce ego depletion, then subjects completed the subliminal priming paradigm to prime self-control goal. At last, they completed the isometric handgrip squeeze. Experiment 2 had found that the main effect of ego depletion was significant, the main effect of goal priming was also significant, and the interaction effect was significant. In the absence of unconscious goal priming, the performance of the depleted subjects was reduced, which was consistent with the definition of ego depletion. However, after the unconscious goal priming, there was no significant difference between the depleted and non-depleted subjects. This study suggests that unconscious goal priming can overcome ego depletion through supraliminal and subliminal priming. The influence of supraliminal goal priming didn’t depend on the depletion conditions. But subliminal goal priming works only in depletion conditions. Ego depletion can be overcome when self-control goal becomes activated without conscious awareness. The present study suggest that activating self-control goal through unconscious priming can overcome the ego depletion. Subjects join in this process without conscious engage. Future research may proceed from the delayed effects of unconscious priming and explored the continuity and reliability of unconscious goal priming effects in long-term training.

Key words: self-control, unconscious goal, ego depletion, subliminal priming

摘要： 本研究基于对无意识目标启动的研究，采用阈上、阈下启动方式探讨无意识目标启动对自我损耗的补偿作用。实验1发现，阈上无意识目标启动能够有效提高自我控制，促进自控表现。实验2发现，阈下无意识目标启动对自我损耗存在补偿效应。上述结果提示，通过无意识启动方式激活自我控制目标，可以克服自我损耗的不良效应，且无需意识参与。

关键词: 自我控制, 无意识目标, 自我损耗, 阈下启动