The theory of ego depletion views the capacity for self-control as a finite internal resource that declines with continual use. As the levels of this resource decline, performance within a host of domains is impaired, resulting in negative behavioral outcomes. Previous studies have sought to find ways to address the decline in the self-control resource and the accompanying reduction in performance in a variety of different ways. One method that has been found to be effective in reducing ego depletion is the use of humor, specifically the viewing of humorous videos following an ego-depleting task. However, prevention of ego depletion using humor prior to an ego-depleting task has not been examined. In the current study, a humorous video was used in an attempt to reduce the effects of ego depletion relative to a control condition viewing a neutral video. The video was seen either before the ego-depletion task (prevention) or after the ego-depletion task (reparation). It was expected that the humorous video would buffer against ego depletion when shown regardless of whether participants viewed the video before or after the ego-depletion task. Although the humorous video did not alter ego depletion, mood was enhanced relative to the neutral-video condition.
","abstract_html":"<p>The theory of ego depletion views the capacity for self-control as a finite internal resource that declines with continual use. As the levels of this resource decline, performance within a host of domains is impaired, resulting in negative behavioral outcomes. Previous studies have sought to find ways to address the decline in the self-control resource and the accompanying reduction in performance in a variety of different ways. One method that has been found to be effective in reducing ego depletion is the use of humor, specifically the viewing of humorous videos following an ego-depleting task. However, prevention of ego depletion using humor prior to an ego-depleting task has not been examined. In the current study, a humorous video was used in an attempt to reduce the effects of ego depletion relative to a control condition viewing a neutral video. The video was seen either before the ego-depletion task (prevention) or after the ego-depletion task (reparation). It was expected that the humorous video would buffer against ego depletion when shown regardless of whether participants viewed the video before or after the ego-depletion task. Although the humorous video did not alter ego depletion, mood was enhanced relative to the neutral-video condition.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Welden, David"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science in Experimental Psychology (M.S.)","degree_level":"Thesis (restricted to Georgia Southern)","degree_discipline":"Department of Psychology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Shauna Joye","Jessica Brooks"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2015,"date_issued":"2015-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2015-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:28:22Z","subjects":["ETD","Ego depletion","Buffering","Humor","Videos","Self-control","Persistence","Cognitive Psychology","Social Psychology"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/1316","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Shauna Joye","Jessica Brooks"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Welden, David"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2015-06-26T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Department of Psychology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis (restricted to Georgia Southern)"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science in Experimental Psychology (M.S.)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["ETD","Ego depletion","Buffering","Humor","Videos","Self-control","Persistence","Cognitive Psychology","Social Psychology"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/1316"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The theory of ego depletion views the capacity for self-control as a finite internal resource that declines with continual use. As the levels of this resource decline, performance within a host of domains is impaired, resulting in negative behavioral outcomes. Previous studies have sought to find ways to address the decline in the self-control resource and the accompanying reduction in performance in a variety of different ways. One method that has been found to be effective in reducing ego depletion is the use of humor, specifically the viewing of humorous videos following an ego-depleting task. However, prevention of ego depletion using humor prior to an ego-depleting task has not been examined. In the current study, a humorous video was used in an attempt to reduce the effects of ego depletion relative to a control condition viewing a neutral video. The video was seen either before the ego-depletion task (prevention) or after the ego-depletion task (reparation). It was expected that the humorous video would buffer against ego depletion when shown regardless of whether participants viewed the video before or after the ego-depletion task. Although the humorous video did not alter ego depletion, mood was enhanced relative to the neutral-video condition.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Preventing and Repairing Ego Depletion Through Humor"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Shauna Joye","Jessica Brooks"],"dc:creator":["Welden, David"],"dc:date.available":["2015-06-26T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["The theory of ego depletion views the capacity for self-control as a finite internal resource that declines with continual use. As the levels of this resource decline, performance within a host of domains is impaired, resulting in negative behavioral outcomes. Previous studies have sought to find ways to address the decline in the self-control resource and the accompanying reduction in performance in a variety of different ways. One method that has been found to be effective in reducing ego depletion is the use of humor, specifically the viewing of humorous videos following an ego-depleting task. However, prevention of ego depletion using humor prior to an ego-depleting task has not been examined. In the current study, a humorous video was used in an attempt to reduce the effects of ego depletion relative to a control condition viewing a neutral video. The video was seen either before the ego-depletion task (prevention) or after the ego-depletion task (reparation). It was expected that the humorous video would buffer against ego depletion when shown regardless of whether participants viewed the video before or after the ego-depletion task. Although the humorous video did not alter ego depletion, mood was enhanced relative to the neutral-video condition.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/1316"],"dc:subject":["ETD","Ego depletion","Buffering","Humor","Videos","Self-control","Persistence","Cognitive Psychology","Social Psychology"],"dc:title":["Preventing and Repairing Ego Depletion Through Humor"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Department of Psychology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis (restricted to Georgia Southern)"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science in Experimental Psychology (M.S.)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:28:22Z"}