Resumen de Should birds of a feather flock together? Understanding self-control decisions in dyads

Hristina Dzhogleva, Cait Poynor Lamberton

• Can we rely on our high self-control friends to help us make better joint spending and diet decisions? The current research reports seven studies showing that in joint decisions, homogeneous high self-control pairs make less indulgent choices than both homogeneous low self-control and mixed pairs. However, there is no difference in the self-regulatory patterns of the latter two dyad types: having one high self-control partner in a dyad does not lead to more restraint than having none. The authors argue that this pattern exists because higher self-control individuals tend to prioritize prorelationship behaviors over their personal preference for restraint. Therefore, they assent to the lower self-control partner�s more indulgent preferences. Consistent with this explanation, results suggest that interventions that change individuals� prorelationship motivation can alter this pattern. Given the range of decisions consumers may make in couples or pairs, this research has implications for consumers, marketers, and public-policy makers.